Filipino Adobo Empanada Recipe
Filipino adobo in empanada form. Garlicky, savory, and buttery (from the crust). It's quite an addictive snack!
Disclosure
The equipment and ingredients sections contain affiliate links to products I love to use as well as items that I personally believe make this recipe the best version of itself.
Ingredients
Filipino Adobo Filling
- 1 kg pork belly or shoulder or neck, cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
- 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 tablespoon soy sauce
- 6 tablespoon vinegar
- 235 grams water or more as needed
- 6 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar add 1 tablespoon during cooking to lessen salt if preferred
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
Empanada Dough
- 400 grams all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 140 grams unsalted butter, cubed
- 120 grams water
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 55 grams granulated sugar
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1-2 tablespoon water
Instructions
Make Empanada Dough
- Mix the water and apple cider vinegar in a separate bowl. Set aside.
- In a food processor, add flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse for a few seconds. Add the butter cubes and pulse until the texture is sandy or the large chunks of butter have disappeared. Pour into a large bowl.
- Add eggs to the bowl of flour/butter mixture then slowly add the water mixture a little at a time until the dough becomes shaggy. Form a rough ball and wrap the dough in cling wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Make the Filling
- In a container add the pork, soy sauce, minced garlic, and sugar and mix together. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Remove the pork from the marinade container. Set the marinade aside. Brown the pork in a pot with black pepper.
- Add the water, bay leaves, and saved marinade, then simmer for at least 1 hour.
- Remove the pork from the pot and shred with a fork. Set aside.
- Remove the bay leaves from the pot. Add cornstarch and whisk it in to remove clumps. Add the pork back to the pot and simmer until the sauce is thick.
- Place in a bowl to cool completely or allow it to cool in a refrigerator overnight. The filling will thicken even more in the cold, don't freak out from the clumpy result. It's part of the process!
Set Up Empanada Dough
- Cut the refrigerated dough in four equal sections. Work with one piece at a time. Take one piece and put it on a floured surface. Roll it out until it's about 1 cm thick.
- Using a round cookie cutter, cut out circles. Place the pieces on a floured plate and cover then refrigerate again.
- Repeat the first three steps for the other 3 dough sections.
Assemble
- Place a spoonful of cooled adobo filling on the center of a cut out dough.
- Fold one half over to the other side to make a half moon shape. Using a fork, pinch down on the edges to seal the empanada.
- Place the empanadas on a lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 mins.
Baking Empanadas
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). In the meantime, in a small bowl make an egg wash by beating one egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Set aside.
- Bake the empanadas for 20 minutes then pull them out of the oven.
- Brush the empanadas with the egg wash and bake for 5 minutes. Brush another layer of egg wash and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Allow to cool at least 10-15 minutes before eating.
Nutrition
Calories: 513kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 10gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 602mgPotassium: 173mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 242IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 2mg
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated with the Spoonacular Food API and should be used for informational purposes only.