Quick Feijoada Empanadas

     Empanadas are a Spanish or Latin American pastry turnover filled with a variety of savory ingredients which can be baked or fried. They originate in Spain but many countries, including some in Asia and Africa, have their own twist on this dish. They can be different shapes and sizes and can also have different fillings in them. Some countries make them as deserts or as salty appetizers. I personally like Colombian empanadas the best because they are filled with huge pieces of chicken and potatoes, and it is served with a sauce or dressing that goes inside. The empanadas that I will be talking about today are Brazilian. They are filled with ground sausage, collard greens and beans. This filling is called feijoada which is Portuguese for beans. Beans are a staple food in Brazil and are eaten with almost every meal. The author, Denise Browning, refers to these as party starters, snacks, or even finger food for football games. These empanadas are sure to satisfy your hungry stomach after school!

Quick Feijoada Empanadas (Pastel de Feijoada)

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

Quick Feijoada Empanadas consist of small, fried empanadas filled with canned, smashed black beans, sausage, and collard greens. Great as a snack, a party starter, or finger food for sports games!

Author: Denise Browning

Recipe type: Appetizer

Cuisine: Brazilian (Inspired)

Serves: 15

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, plus as much as necessary to deep-fry empanadas
• 4 oz (115 g) paio sausage or Kielbasa smoked pork sausage, ground
• ½ cup fresh or thawed chopped collard greens
• ⅓ can of BUSH’S Cocina Latina™ Frijoles Negros Machacados
• 30 wonton wraps

Instructions

1. In a medium non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-hight heat and cook ground sausage for about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring now and then. Add chopped collard greens and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add beans and stir. Place mixture into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Place about 15 wonton wraps on preparation surface. Fill center of each with about 1 Tablespoon of the bean mixture and brush water around the edges. Place another wonton wrap on top. Seal all edges together, pressing well with your fingers and then crimping around the edges with a fork.
3. Heat oil at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). If you don't have a thermometer to measure the temperature, dip a small piece of a wonton wrap into the heated oil. If you hear a sizzling sound, the oil is ready. Fry feijoada empanadas, a few at a time, turning them while frying so that they brown evenly on both sides. It will take about 2 minutes to fry each batch. They should be lightly golden and crispy. They will darken further while draining on paper towels. Serve hot either by themselves, or accompanied with an orange vinaigrette sauce or ketchup. Beer or guaraná soda are great drinks to accompany them.

Notes

For 15 feijoada empanadas, triple the amount of the orange vinaigrette (see link for recipe). Or, as an alternative dipping sauce, mix together ⅓ cup store-bought orange marmalade, 2 Tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and a few drops of hot sauce.

Works Cited

"Quick Feijoada Empanadas (Pastel De Feijoada) - From Brazil To You." From Brazil To You. 16 Dec. 2014. Web. 29 Dec. 2014. <http://www.frombraziltoyou.org/quick-feijoada-empanadas/>.