Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Chipotle & Black Bean Stuffed Empanadillas

Latin cuisine is bursting with savory flavors and bright colors. One of my favorite appetizers is empanadillas. These are stuffed with all sorts of ingredients, including cheese, guava, meat, and fish. Even though empanadillas are delicious, they are often deep fried in unhealthy fats. So then I thought... Why not find a way to make them healthy? First, I made a smaller version of these for portion control. Without a doubt, I also had to customize the preparation methods. The final result was a true delight... 

Ingredients:

 1 Cup Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon Xanthan Gum
¼ Cup Water
 1 Large Egg
 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

 1 Can Black Beans (15 oz)
 1 Teaspoon Canned Chipotle Peppers in Adobo 
 2 Raw Garlic Cloves
 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
¾ Cup Sliced Plum Tomato
¾ Cup Sliced Yellow Onion
½ Cup Black Olives
½ Cup Fresh Cilantro
¼ Sea Salt

Preparation:

Whisk together flour and xanthan gum. Add water, egg, and olive oil. Mix thoroughly and wrap dough in plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator until ready to use. Combine all remaining ingredients in a food processor. Roll out dough and use a round cookie cutter to cut out 16 pieces. Place a teaspoon of chipotle and black bean filling in the center of each round piece. Fold in half and use a lightly greased fork (cooking spray) to press on the edges and seal the filling. Coat a large pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place empanadillas on pan and bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes. Serve with salsa... Enjoy!

Makes 16 Empanadillas.


Note: You will have leftover filling, serve as dip with tortilla chips or as a spread.

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for the add on Food Buzz! Love meeting new foodie friends!

    Your photos are so colourful!

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  2. These are ace! I love empanadas but for the same reasons, I don't indulge too much. This lighter version is wonderful :) Buzzed!

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  3. This looks delicious. I absolutely love empanadas and I am excited to try this out. My boyfriend has yet to try an empanada like this and i'm sure he'll enjoy it!

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  4. Buzzed indeed! These look great--empanadas make fantastic comfort food.

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  5. I like that you made these a smaller size. Definitely a better alternative to the ones you get at a restaurant!

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  6. These are so cute! They sound wonderful as well, love the combination of chipotle and black bean!

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  7. Never made empanadillas myself, but these sounds very tempting.... love the black beans and chipotles!

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  8. This sounds great! I love everything about these. I saved this one!

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  9. Great recipe - I agree with your succinct summary of latin food - the flavors and colors are endlessly entertaining!

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