Apple Empanadas (Spanish Apple Hand Pies)
User Reviews
5
Apple Empanadas (Spanish Apple Hand Pies)
Description
Apple Empanadas (Spanish Apple Hand Pies) feature a soft dough made from all-purpose flour and olive oil, yielding a tender but sturdy crust that holds a gently spiced apple filling. The filling is prepared with diced sweet apples sautéed with sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla, giving a balance of sweetness and subtle tartness. After assembling, each empanada is brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with sugar, which creates a golden crust that offers a slight crunch.
The baking process ensures the interior apples soften but maintain some texture, while the dough bakes through to a pale golden shade. These hand pies can be eaten warm or at room temperature and provide a portable way to enjoy cooked apples. The ingredients allow for variation in apple types according to sweetness or tartness preference.
Filled empanadas can be stored for two days at room temperature or up to four days refrigerated, with reheating advised at a moderate oven temperature to preserve crust texture. They also freeze well before or after baking, maintaining quality when properly stored and reheated. This makes them convenient for preparing ahead or for enjoying as a treat over several days.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 360g
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup water tepid
For the Filling:
- 3 apple about 24 ounces), peeled, cored, and diced, large sweet or semisweet
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
For the Topping:
- 1 egg large
- 1 tablespoon water
- sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the dough. Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a food processor and blitz a few times to combine. With the food processor running, stream in the olive oil. Continue to run the food processor as you stream in half of the water. Pause and scrape the bottom and sides of the food processor to redistribute any dry or wet spots in the dough. Turn the food processor back on and stream in the remaining water until the dough comes together into a mass.
- Knead the dough. Scrape the dough onto a clean work surface and knead by hand until the dough comes together and no dry bits of flour remain, about 30 seconds. The dough should be smooth and not sticky. Cover the dough and let it rest while you prepare the apple filling.
- Make the apple filling. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering (but before smoking), test the temperature by adding 1 apple piece. The apple should sizzle audibly but gently when the pan is hot enough. Adjust the heat if necessary. Add the remaining apples along with the sugar and cinnamon, and spread them as close to a single layer as possible in the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to caramelize, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Finish the filling. Take the pan off the heat. Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon zest and toss to coat the apples evenly. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Preheat the oven. Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Begin rolling the dough. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Work with one piece of dough at a time, keeping the others covered to prevent them from drying out. With a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a circle about 5-inches in diameter. The olive oil in the dough should prevent it from sticking to the counter, but you can sprinkle the dough and work surface with a light dusting of flour as needed if it begins to stick.
- Fill the empanadas. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of the apple filling into the center of the dough. Start at one end of the empanada and use your thumb and forefinger to fold the edge up and twist, rolling the two edges together towards the center of the empanada. Gently pinch the rolled edge so it holds. Keep folding and twisting the edges in this way until you reach the other end of the empanada. Alternatively, use the tines of a fork to press and seal the edges together. Repeat this process of rolling, stuffing, and crimping until you have used all of the dough.
- Bake. Arrange the empanadas evenly spaced on the lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water. Brush a light coating of the egg wash on the tops of the empanadas with a pastry brush and sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Notes
- Choose Fuji apples or a mix of sweet to semisweet varieties; increase sugar if using tart apples like Granny Smith.
- Store empanadas in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes to retain crust texture.
- Freeze empanadas up to 3 months, before or after baking; bake frozen empanadas at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, or reheat cooked frozen empanadas at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 2192 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 219.2kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 26.4g | 9% |
| Protein | 3.7g | 7% |
| Fat | 10.8g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 1.6g | 8% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.3g | 8% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7.6g | 38% |
| Trans Fat | 0.002g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 13.6mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 103.6mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 40.5mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 0.9g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2.5g | 5% |
| Vitamin A | 20.8IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0.4mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 8.3mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1.6mg | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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