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Empanadas de humita
Creamy corn empanadas
Baked Argentine pastries with a creamy sweetcorn filling
Empanadas de humita are the vegetarian favourite at every Argentine empanada shop, from Tucumán, which claims the best empanadas in the country, to the delivery menus of Buenos Aires. The filling is sweetcorn and onion cooked with red pepper, nutmeg and a little white sauce until creamy, then folded into wheat pastry discs and closed with the twisted edge (repulgue) that tells you what's inside. Unlike the husk-wrapped humita en chala, these are baked and golden. Chef's tip: chill the filling until firm before filling; warm filling melts the pastry and the empanadas open in the oven.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 oz butter
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- ½ red bell pepperfinely chopped
- 14 oz sweetcorn kernelsfresh, frozen or drained tinned
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 oz parmesan-style hard cheesegrated, made with vegetarian rennet
For the pastry
- 12 empanada pastry discs (tapas para empanadas)or 500 g shortcrust pastry
- 1 eggbeaten
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Melt 1 oz butter in a pan over a medium heat and cook 1 onion and ½ red bell pepper until soft, 6 minutes.
6 minStep 2: Add 14 oz sweetcorn kernels and cook for 3 minutes. Blitz half of it briefly with a hand blender to a rough cream, leaving the rest whole.
4 minStep 3: Sprinkle over 2 tbsp plain flour and stir for 1 minute, then pour in ¾ cup milk gradually, stirring, until thick and creamy, 4–5 minutes.
5 minStep 4: Season with ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, stir in 1 oz parmesan-style hard cheese, then spread on a plate and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
Step 5: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Line a tray with baking paper.
Step 6: Put a heaped tablespoon of filling on each of the 12 empanada pastry discs (tapas para empanadas), brush the edge with water, fold over and press to seal. Fold the edge over itself in small pinches all the way round (the repulgue), or press with a fork. The common mistake is overfilling, which makes them burst.
Step 7: Brush with 1 egg and bake until golden brown and crisp, 18–20 minutes.
20 minStep 8: Cool for 5 minutes before eating; the filling is very hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does empanadas de humita take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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