We have had some really incredible meals here in Buenos Aires. Tons of grilled meats of questionable age and refrigeration status piled onto crusty bread and topped with a salsa of onions, tomatoes and vinegar and house-made chimichurri sauce. These are the ultimate in street food and we look forward to these almost as much as we look forward to the street fairs where they can always be found! There is a Venezuelan restaurant right across the street from us where we discovered arape- delicious stuffed corn tortillas, loaded with chicken, beef, beans, cheese and a garlicky sauce. And of course, the omnipresent empanadas. We have had empanadas from bakeries, pizza shops, people selling them on the street, they are just about everywhere. We have had ham and cheese, chicken, beef, blue cheese, veggie, onion and cheese, ham and pineapple and 3 and 4 cheese empanadas. Naturally, I decided to try my hand at them and see if I could “healthy” them up a little.
Split peas are a great source of protein and fiber, plus they cook up quickly and make a hearty filling for these vegetarian empanadas.
Vegetarian Split Pea Empanadas
Makes about 10 Empanadas
…and because I had them, 1/2 cup of cooked chickpeas
Combine split peas and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until soft, about 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the onion, ginger, cinnamon, serrano pepper, cilantro and garlic. Mix well, add the yogurt and lemon juice and stir in the cooked split peas and chickpeas. Mash a little bit with a fork.
Spoon about 3 Tablespoons of filling onto one half of an empanada wrapper. Fold the wrapper over, on top of itself
Press the edges together and then, starting at the top, grab hold of the edge in your left and right hand, pinch lightly and bring the edge in your right hand down and behind the edge in your left hand, pinch together, so it looks like this:
Continue pinching and shifting the right edge behind the left edge down one side, and then down the other until the edge is crimped all the way around.
Heat a non-stick pan over low heat, add the empanadas 2-3 at a time. Add 1 Tablespoon of water and cover pan. When water has evaporated, about 1 minute, remove lid and allow empanadas to cook on each side until brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side. When golden brown and delicious looking, remove from pan and serve immediately. I had a little extra filling, so I added a dollop of plain yogurt, mixed it with the remaining filling and called it a sauce!
Oven Method: Heat an oven to 375 degrees F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake 15 minutes or until crusts are dark golden brown and filling is hot all the way through. Serve.
**Notes:
A spoon is the best way to peel ginger- take the edge of the spoon and scrape the skin, it should come away easily.