Mar 18 2008
Empanadas de viento or fried cheese empanadas
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Published by Laylita at 11:37 am under All, Appetizers, Breakfast and brunch, Cheese, Empanadas, Kid friendly, Snacks, South America
These are truly my favorite empanadas of all time, the combination of the gooey cheese and onions inside a crispy fried empanada and topped with sugar is delicious. I would eat these every day if I could (probably not a healthy idea), these empanadas de viento are the perfect breakfast or afternoon snack with a hot cup of black coffee. . The most important part is making sure the empanadas are sealed well, I seal them four time: first with my fingers, next with a fork, then with my fingers twisting and folding the edges, and finally with the fork again, and also it helps if the empanadas rest for about an hour in the fridge before frying them, this might seem over the top just to seal an empanada but I have experienced them leaking while they are being fried and it is very messy.
These fried empanadas also make a great appetizer, or according to Nicolas a great dessert, we had an argument about that “they’re NOT a dessert” was my reply, “but they have sugar on top, so that makes them a dessert”; anyway I tried to explain that they were not a dessert but I wasn’t very successful, so if you would like to consider these a dessert then go ahead (but they’re not), either way they are yummy and extremely easy to make, especially if you cheat and use the store bought empanada discs
Ingredients:
15 medium size or 25 small empanada discs (use homemade empanada dough for frying or store bought)
2 ½ cups grated cheese (quesillo, mozzarella, monterey jack, Oaxaca or other melting cheese)
1 cup finely chopped white onion
½ cup sugar for sprinkling
Canola or sunflower oil for frying
Preparation:
- Mix the grated cheese and chopped onions together.
- Spoon the cheese filling on the center of the each empanada disc.
- Fold the empanada discs and seal the edges, first pressing gently with your fingers, next use a fork to press down and seal, finally twist and fold the edges of the empanadas and then use the fork again for the final sealing.
- Chill the empanadas for at least an hour, this will help them seal better and prevent leaks.
- Fry the empanadas either in a deep fryer or in a frying pan, if using a frying pan add enough oil to cover at least half of the empanada, let the oil get very hot and fry each empanada until they are golden on each side or about a minute per side.
- Place the empanadas on paper towels to drain any excess oil, sprinkle generously with sugar and serve warm.
Those look so professional. I want them..
My husband has gained a lot of weight since being confined, but I will allow him a terat or two each week. He adores anything wrapped up in dough and deep fried, so these will be at the ready, should his behavior warrent pampering.
Hi,
I just found your site and I’m so excited to go over all the recipes. I just moved to Quito with my family at year ago and I am still completely lost when it comes to a lot of the food. I love to cook, though, so I know that your site will be a great help. Plus I like the kid-friendly section, since I have some picky eaters.
Looking forward to more happy reading and cooking!
Hi Layla, I just discovered your site through Gretchen’s Canela & Camino. What a beautiful blog you have! I love your recipes and your pictures are gorgeous! I am going to subscribe to your blog now.
By the way, these empanadas look so delicious! I recently made stuffed pies Pirojki and posted them on my blog and some of my viewers likened them to empanadas.
Keep up the good work. It’s a beautiful site. I am thinking about trying some recipes from here. Cheers!
Hi Farida, Thank you for your comments. I love Pirojki and the ones you made you look very cook, I’ll have to try making some one of these days.
Thank u for the blog! I love it!
I love that last photo of the empanada with the cheese spilling out. Is it possible to bake your empanada dough recipe instead of frying?
Hi Y, I have a recipe for baked cheese empanadas right here: http://laylita.com/recipes/2008/02/06/cheese-empanadas/
Dear Lalita,
All your recipes are amazing!!! and the pictures, I can describe it!!!
Thanks from the bottom of my heart
Laylita,
Thank you so much for the wonderful pictures, my boyfriend is Ecuadorian I am Mexican and it is really tough to cook his favorite receipes with out pictures I can never tell if I did it right if I don’t know how they look like, love your website.
Hi Laylita,
Thank you so much for this wonderful site! My boyfriend is Ecuadorian…and I can’t wait to surprise him with some of his favorite home-town dishes!!! Thank you so much!
Valentina
Hi Laylita.
Happy New year!!!…your site is the best gift i found this season. I’m ecuadorian (de Ibarra) and i love and miss ecuadorian food. I tried couple of your recipes, arroz con chorizo y camaron, come y bebe and the empanadas de viento…what can i say…it is glory!!!! thank you sooooo much…mil gracias.
AJ
Hola,
Everythink looks delicious, especially the empanadas is there other ingredients you can stuff it with instead of cheese?
Thank you so much
Hi Alejandra – Yes, you can also stuff them with ground beef or chicken or vegetables or fruit. A reader on my Spanish blog reminded me that in Ecuador they are also sometimes stuffed with sweet plantains (previously cooked & mashed).
Hey Laylita,
Thank you sooo much for this great recipe. I made these wonderful “empanadas” for my husband this past week and he absolutely loved them. I just have a quick question. I would like to make “empanadas” for some guests next week, but because of limited time I was wondering if I could make the dough a day in advance? what is your suggestion?
Hi Ana – I’m glad you like these empanadas, you can make the dough a day in advance, you can even assemble the empanadas, keep them refrigerated and just fry them the next day.
Looking at all your wonderful recipes almost brought me to tears. I miss Quito so much and have always wanting to try Ecuadorian cooking here in the States. But my fear has been that not having quite the same ingredients would ruin it. Your website has given me hope! Thank you.
these empanadas are so good……
those are delicious
if you taste one of these your tongue is going to heaven
i proved and really those are delicious
Thank you so much for the recipe – while my family is from chile this recipe looks similar to what I’ve had growing up. i can’t wait to try and it and see how it turns out.
thank you for this!