Mexican Style Empanadas with Mushrooms
Corn masa dough is stuffed with mushrooms and Oaxaca cheese, then fried to make these delicious little morsels. I love them topped with shredded cabbage or lettuce, radishes, salsa, queso fresco or feta and mexican crema. Of course I also love some mexican hot salsa or sauces to accompany as well. Easy to make and so delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp butter
- 4-5 cups assorted mushrooms, chopped Cremini, shitake, button
- 1/2-1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 cloves garlic left whole
- 1 cup masa harina flour
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 cup oaxaca cheese, grated
- 1-2 cups vegetable oil or lard for frying
Instructions
- Heat a pan over medium heat with your butter and olive oil. Add in your chopped mushrooms, whole garlic cloves and thyme. Let them cook a bit, stirring occasionally until they are brown and have release their moisture. Once they are cooked, add a pinch or so of salt to taste. Remove from heat and let cool.
- While your mushrooms are cooling, you can make your masa dough. In a bowl pour in your masa flour with a pinch of salt. Add in some warm water and work the dough with your hands until it reaches a consistency of a smooth soft cookie dough. Add more warm water or flour if required.
- Using a tortilla press if you have one or a heavy bottomed pan would work. Line the bottom with plastic wrap. Place a ball sized portion of the dough on top of the plastic wrap the cover with another piece of plastic wrap so that the dough doesn't stick. Make sure you cover the dough you aren't using while you are making these so that it doesn't dry out. Fill with about 1 tbsp of mushroom mixture and about a tbsp of the oaxca cheese (don't overfill so that it seals properly). using the plastic wrap bring one side over to make a half moon shape and gently press down the edges and fold over a bit to seal.
- In a heavy bottomed pan, heat up some vegetable oil over medium heat to fry in. To test if the oil is ready, you can put the back of a wooden spoon in, if it bubbles it is good, otherwise you can throw in a little piece of dough to check if the oil is ready. Make sure it is ready before you add your empanada in to fry otherwise the empanada will absorb too much oil. Also it can't be too hot or it will burn before it is cooked through.
- Fry the empanada until browned lightly on both sides. Remove carefully to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb some of the oil.
- Serve immediately with your fixings of choice. Some suggestions: - shredded lettuce or cabbage - sliced radishes - crumbled queso fresco or feta - mexican crema or sour creme or creme fraiche - hot sauce - pico de gallo - guacamole