Vegan empanadas

These empanadas are a typical Easter pie from Majorca Island locally known as “panades”.

I keep very fond memories of my childhood when we travelled to Majorca to visit the family for Easter holidays. My grandmother and my aunts would spend plenty of time in the kitchen preparing the “panades” and other traditional Easter dishes so that we could enjoy them all together during a big family feast.

The traditional Majorcan empanadas are usually made with meat and green peas. My vegan version of the Majorcan empanadas replaces the meat with cauliflower and red peppers, keeping the green peas of the original recipe as the main ingredient.

This recipe of vegan empanadas is full of goodness and loaded with vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, vitamin B-6, iron and fibre and contains phytochemicals and anti-inflammatory compounds. The dough contains whole-wheat flour what makes it even richer in fibre.

For Easter I like to prepare my “Spanish chickpea and spinach stew” as a first course, followed by these delicious Majorcan empanadas and a green salad as a second course, and my “Dark chocolate and orange zest tart” for dessert. What is your favourite Easter dish?

I attempted my first recipe video as I thought that it could be useful to show you how to shape the empanadas. I am happy to share it with you, please let me know what you think and if you find it helpful!

If you try my tasty and healthy vegan empanadas recipe, please let me know, leave a comment and rate it. I would love to know what you come up with. Enjoy and happy Easter!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Vegan empanadas

 

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Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour 30 mins

 

Author: Margarita @ Tasty Mediterraneo

Cuisine: Mediterranean Diet

Serves: 8 empanadas

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 1 tablespoon EVOO
• 500g Organic Peas (ideally fresh, but if not available you can use frozen peas)
• ¼ Cauliflower, cut in very small pieces
• 1 Red pepper, diced
• 2 Shallots, thinly diced
• 1 Teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• Salt

For the dough:

• 175ml (¾ cup) Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• 175ml (¾ cup) Warm water
• 210g (1 ½ cup) Organic plain flour
• 210g (1 ½ cup) Organic whole-wheat flour

Instructions

For the filling:

1. Have all the vegetables well washed and prepared as indicated in the ingredients description.
2. In a bowl add the peas, the cauliflower, the red pepper and the shallots, the tablespoon of EVOO, salt to taste and optionally the paprika. Mix it all well and reserve.

For the dough:

1. Pour the warm water and the EVOO into a large bowl and add the plain and whole-wheat flours. With a silicon spatula mix well the flour with the liquid. Keep mixing until it all starts to come together, and then keep on mixing with your clean hands and knead it until you have a smooth, not sticky, dough. You may add a bit of extra flour if needed.
2. To make the bases of the empanadas, take a piece of the dough of about 75g (2.6 ounces) and roll it between your palms until you get a rounded ball-shape. Make a total of 8 balls of this weight. Push with your thumbs in the middle of the ball and work the dough until it looks like a small dish with a thin bottom and thin walls. Repeat the same process with rest of the balls.
3. To make the covers of the empanadas, take a piece of the dough of about 30g (1 ounce) and roll it between your palms until you get a rounded ball-shape. Make a total of 8 balls of this weight. Flatten out the dough giving it a rounded shape.

For the final preparation:

1. Add 6 tablespoons of the vegetable mix inside the base of the empanada.
2. Place the cover of the empanadas on top of the base and stick the edges together making sure you close them well so that they do not open. Shape the borders pinching them with your fingers. Use a fork to prick some holes on the cover to allow the steam to escape.
3. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 30 min at 175 degrees C (350 degrees F) or until the empanadas are golden.
4. Remove from the oven and enjoy them warm or cold.

3.5.3239