Serve delicious Empanaditas and Pastelitos with your picadera; they are a must at a Dominican party. This recipe has options for different doughs, fried and baked, and fillings with chicken, pork, beef, cheese, seafood, vegetables, and sweets. There's one for every taste.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Dec 19, 2001
Why we ❤️ it
Empanadas and pastelitos are not unique to the Dominican Republic, in fact, they can be found in pretty much every Spanish-speaking country in one shape or form, baked or fried, and in a variety of sizes. Each Spanish-speaking country has adapted this recipe to their own tastes and favorite ingredients.
In the DR, these are a basic component of the party platter, a quick late dinner after a night on the town, and popular street fare.
Empanadas vs. Dominican pastelitos
The difference between Dominican pastelitos and empanaditas is merely cosmetic, but -as with many other things- Dominicans do not seem to agree on one answer, but this is mine: Dominican Pastelitos are round, while Dominican Empanadas are half-moon-shaped.
Not everyone agrees, though.
It could also be a regional issue, as an informal survey among our social media followers seems to suggest, though most agreed with my naming convention.
Pastelitos and empanaditas and fillings.
Empanada fillings
And if we leave aside the question of shape, this recipe is very flexible, and we give you several options for empanada fillings (chicken, pork, beef, cheese, or vegetables).
Pick a filling. Whichever you choose, it's sure to be a box office success.
Vegan empanadas
Do you have vegan friends? Go with our Vegetable mix vegan filling, or a Vegan picadillo filling in this recipe with video. For the dough, you can use the one from Yaniqueque that also works wonderfully for empanadas and pastelitos.
Chicken empanadas
We have a recipe for a lovely, Creamy chicken empanada filling, and a Pulled chicken in tomato sauce empanada filling that is more traditional. Both work great with empanaditas and pastelitos, and are inexpensive and easy to make. You can make them ahead of time and refrigerate them until it's time to assemble and fry the empanadas.
Beef empanadas
Beef lovers? Then a ground beef filling should be your choice, and we have just the Beef empanada filling recipe you need. You can make it ahead of time and refrigerate it until it's time to assemble and fry the empanadas.
Chorizo empanadas
This is not your same ol' empanada, try this fantastic Chorizo empanada filling for your pastelitos.
Lambí empanadas
Lambí (conch) is a refined, more expensive choice to stuff pastelitos, but well worth it. Check the recipe for instructions on how to make it into a filling for empanadas.
Crab empanadas
Another " deluxe" option is Cangrejo guisado to make crabmeat empanadas. Just let all the liquid evaporate when preparing the crab so that the dough doesn't break when filling.
Pork empanadas
Want something more "exotic"? How about a combination of pork and apple? You can find it in this Pulled pork empanada filling recipe.
Sweet empanadas
You can even fill them with fruits, and make sweet empanadas perfect to serve them as desserts. My favorites are Empanadas de guayaba y queso.
Cheese empanadas
Cheese is another popular choice. Gouda or Emmental are great choices too, but for a more Dominican touch, you can make them with crumbled queso de freír (or halloumi if you don't find queso de freír).
Pastelitos and empanaditas.
Dough
While I believe that the dough is secondary to a great empanada, it doesn't mean that it isn't important. The dough is a matter of taste and much discussion. I am of the school of crispy, flaky dough, but some people prefer a more "bready", flexible dough.
The cooking method is also crucial for the final result.
Deep-fried empanadas
This recipe is for the traditional Dominican empanadita and pastelito, which is deep-fried.
Baked empanadas
For an easy, quick, baked vegan version, try this vegan baked empanada dough. These lovely no-butter, baked empanadas are gorgeous, perfect, and so much easier to make. These two work great with sweet fillings, like guava paste.
Vegan empanadas
If you are looking for an egg-free alternative, vegan alternative, the dough for Yaniqueques works well too.
Gluten-free empanadas
We didn't forget you! Try Empanadas de yuca, a different type of empanadas made with yuca (cassava) dough.
Top tips
- You will almost certainly have leftover filling. Save it and add it to your next soup or stew.
- The baking powder must be fresh; this is a common point of failure in recipes that use it.
- If you don't serve them fresly-fried, the dough will become less crispy and more elastic. You can reheat them in a medium-heat oven for 10-15 minutes to improve the texture.
About our recipe
You may have different ways to make the dough, but the deal-breaker is always the filling. This is why I've given you as many options as possible.
This recipe yields about 18 empanaditas, though it may be fewer if you make them bigger. If you will make them as part of a larger picadera (appetizer) platter, it serves 9-18 people depending on how many more things will be served.
On its own, and as party food, it serves 4-5 people.
This dough recipe has the advantage of being simple, inexpensive, easy, requires no fancy equipment, and results in a crispy empanadita.
Video
Recipe
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Empanaditas & Pastelitos [Video+Recipe] 12 Options
Ingredients
- 2 egg (medium), eggs and whites separated
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for working the dough
Filling
- Empanada filling, choose one from the list above the recipe
For frying
- 2 cups oil for frying
Instructions
1. Combine dough ingredients
Combine egg yolks, oil, salt, and baking powder. Once well combined, add the flour and mix.By this point, the dough will be crumbly and too dry. Start adding water one tablespoon at a time, combining until it forms a cohesive ball with the least amount of extra water possible. I used seven tablespoons in the end, but it varies sometimes.
2. Form the dough
- Mix everything with your hands on a lightly floured surface until everything is well mixed, but just squeezing without folding (like playdoh). Add some flour to the dough if it is too sticky, or a bit of water if it is too dryOnce the dough has the consistency of playdoh (One to two minutes at most) wrap, and let the dough rest for ten minutes.
3. Make disks
- Separate a small, golf-ball-sized piece of dough. On a lightly flour-dusted surface roll out the dough forming a small circle.
4. Assembling
- How to make make pastelitos: Cut out circles of about 2.5" [6.5 cm] in diameter. Paint the inside with egg white (which acts as glue so the layers don't separate).Place a tablespoon of the filling in the center of each circle, cover with another circle and seal the border by pressing it with a fork.How to make make empanadas: Cut out circles 4" [10 cm] in diameter. Paint the inside with egg white (which acts as glue so the layers don't separate).Place a tablespoon of the filling in the center of each circle, double over in a semi-circle, and seal the border by pressing it with a fork.
5. Fry
- Heat oil over medium heat in a 1 qt [1lt] pot. Deep fry the pastelitos / empanaditas until they are golden brown on each side. Rest on a paper towel to drain excess oil before serving.
Cook's Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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