A perfect marriage of sea and land produce in these delicious crab and creamy cheese empanadas, typical of southern Chile. This ancient recipe undoubtedly remains as popular as ever.
Contents
How to make Crab and Cheese Empanadas?
Crab cheese empanadas are filled with a mixture of grated creamy cheese and shredded crab meat, usually prepared fried, but also commonly baked, using the same recipe.
Nutritional Information
Category: Appetizers
Cuisine: Chilean
Calories: 400
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Crab and Cheese Empanada Recipe
Ingredients
1. Empanada Dough
- 1 kg of flour
- 500 ml of warm water
- 100 g of lard
- 100 ml of white wine
- 1 tablespoon of salt
2. Crab Filling
- 500 g of shredded crab meat
- 350 g of creamy cheese
- 150 ml of cream
- Oregano
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
Preparation
- Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl, create a well in the center and pour the melted lard, mix everything with a wooden spoon to integrate.
- Add the white wine and continue kneading with hands, finally add the warm water as necessary until obtaining a homogeneous and elastic mixture. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, grate the creamy cheese, add the shredded crab meat, cream, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Reserve in the fridge.
- Roll out the dough on a flat and floured surface until about 3 mm thick, cut out circles of about 15 cm in diameter using a medium plate.
- Distribute each piece of dough on the countertop and add a tablespoon of crab and cheese filling to each, moisten the edges of the dough, close with a fold and seal with a fork.
- In a deep pot or pan, heat enough oil to about 170°C (340°F) and immerse the empanadas one by one, carefully, without overlapping them, fry for about 2 to 3 minutes until golden on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Serve the crab and cheese empanadas immediately, alone or accompanied, for example, by a good Chilean white wine.
Benefits of eating Crab
Consuming Chilean crab is an excellent source of lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids, promoting cardiovascular health and muscle development.
It also provides important minerals such as zinc and selenium, strengthening the immune system and contributing to healthy skin.
Did you know?
Creamy cheese gets its name from its semi-soft consistency, as it’s prepared with higher moisture and lower temperature, making it a cheese difficult to slice.
