Cheese empanadas are a very common type of Street food; an empanada is a mix of cornflour to make the turnover that covers a variety of different fillings, including meat, picadillo de papa, refried black beans, sweet plantain.
Cheese Empanadas for 4 people
Cheese empanadas are the perfect snack after a walk in the forest, walking around the cities and towns, or just enjoying a cup of Costa Rican Coffee!
Ingredients
2 cups pre-cooked white corn flour (P.A.N Pre-Cooked white maize meal)
2,5 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of shredded cheese (Preferably, white medium-soft cheese)
Instructions for the tortillas
1. Pour the water into a bowl and add the salt and maize meal slowly while steering.
2. Knead with your fingers until a smooth dough is formed and let rest for 3 minutes.
3. Role the dough into small balls.
4. Press the balls with a tortilla press or between two cutting boards (place plastic or baking paper to prevent the dough from sticking to the boards).
5. Fill half of the tortilla with the shredded cheese and close the tortilla
6. Fry the empanada in a little bit of sunflower oil until it turns light brown, on each side
7. Let the empanada cool off a little bit and enjoy your snack or lunch!
Alternatives
You can fill the empanadas with anything you like, in Costa Rica, you can normally choose between cheese, chicken, pulled beef, mashed beans, picadillo de papa, and many more. Share your variations with us!
Serving
Empanadas are often eaten as a snack, but together with a salad it also makes a nice lunch dish. It’s a great snack to bring to a picnic in the park, together with a nice ceviche for example.
Enjoy!
Questions
Do you have any questions about this dish or Costa Rica? Do not hesitate to contact us.
