Empanadas

Craving homemade corn tortillas or empanadas? These delicious treats are a staple in Costa Rica. Antonio tells us that his mother, Doña Flor, grinds corn to make corn tortillas todas las mañanas (every morning).

While we don´t go through the whole process of harvesting corn, soaking it, and cleaning off the skin- we do always have a supply of masa (corn flour) on hand. Iit is possible to get masa outside of Latin America. Quaker makes its own Harina de Maíz, and you can also check out Latino supermarkets.

The dough for empanadas appears simple- just mix masa and water in a bowl. However, this ratio has to be just right- not too dry or too sticky. Add water to the masa until a dough has formed. Add water until the dough feels wet but no longer sticks to the sides.


Once you have your dough, take a handful and make a 2-inch ball. Lay out a piece of plastic (we use a cut up grocery bag) on the counter to prevent sticking (for added sticking prevention you can sprinkle some flour on the plastic). Now, place the ball of dough on top of the plastic. Use your fingers to flatten out the ball to make a circle. Make sure it´s even and that no parts are too thin.


You can now cook the tortilla like this on the stove, just peel the dough off the plastic and put directly into a pan (no oil needed!). If you want to make empanadas, put the filling of your choice on one half of the tortilla. We usually use refried beans and cheese, but you can be creative. Be careful not to put in too much filling, you´ll need to carefully fold the side without filling over the other side! You'll need to carefully fold the two sides together to make a half-moon shape, and press the edges together to seal the empanada.


Heat up some oil in a pan and place the empanadas into the hot oil. Cook each empanada for a few minutes on each side, until they turn a golden brown. ¡Buen provecho!

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