Empanadas

are a firm favorite with our study abroad students so we couldn't resist giving you another recipe, this time from the lovely Doña Fernanda.

Doña Fernanda has lived her whole life in and around Felipe Carrillo Puerto and her first language is Maya. She started learning Spanish when she moved from her Maya community and her two sons started school.

Now a grandmother, Kevin is a big fan of her meat empanadas so we had to give them a try.

Kevin says

"Me gustan mucho las empanadas. Mi abuelita lo hace

más rico del todo el mundo."

"I really like empanadas. My grandmother makes the best in the world."

Ingredients:

• minced pork

• 2 tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped

• 1 bell pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped

• 1 medium onion

• 2 large carrots finely chopped

• 1 medium potato finely chopped

• garlic powder

• salt

• pepper

• cornflour

• plain, all-purpose flour

• water

• oil for frying

• salsa and sour cream to serve

Method:

• Prepare a pan and fill about halfway with oil and heat

• Prepare the mince and dry any excess moisture

• Fry the minced pork in a large shallow pan until lightly browned

• Separately fry the chopped tomato, bell pepper, and onion. Once softened add to the meat and combine, stirring with a wooden spoon

• Add the chopped up carrot and potato to the meat mixture and stir until the pieces are evenly distributed

• Season with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder and mix together

• Keep frying the mixture and stirring until the vegetables have softened and the mixture is well combined and begins to stick together

• Take even quantities of cornflour and all-purpose flour and season with salt.

• Slowly add room temperature water to the flour mixture and combine with your hands until it comes together in a dough.

• flatten out the dough into rounds no smaller than 15cm in diameter but not so large they won't fit in your deep fryer

• add the fried meat mixture to one half of the dough leaving at least 1.5cm around the edge

• Fold in half and press down the edges

• Fry the empanadas in the oil in batches until golden, making sure the oil temperature remains high between batches

• Serve with a chopped salad of lettuce, onion, and tomato. Your favorite salsa and sour cream

If you would like to read more about Mexican culture, history, cuisine and language, check out our blog page for our latest monthly articles. You can also sign up to our newsletter to receive these straight to your inbox along with the latest news about our non-profit school for local and Indigenous students in Felipe Carrillo Puerto. 

The best way to experience the Mexican lifestyle is in person, with a Na’atik Immersion experience. Not only do you live with a local Mexican-Maya family, sharing home-cooked meals and free time, but also receive expert instruction in your chosen language at our school. Best of all, every immersion experience helps fund our subsidized and free local education program, helping local students to access opportunities and make their own futures.