Empanaditas & Pastelitos [Video+Recipe] 12 Options

Dominican empanadas and pastelitos add variety and Dominican flavor to your hors d'oeuvres platter. We are presenting a generic recipe and easy step-by-step. See other filling and dough choices in the notes.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 egg (medium) (eggs and whites separated)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for working the dough)
• Empanada filling (choose one from the list above the recipe)
• 2 cups oil for frying

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- 1. Combine dough ingredients ---
2. 2Combine 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.
3. 3--- 2. Form the dough ---
4. 4Work 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.
5. 5--- 3. Make disks ---
6. 6Make disks: Separate a small, golf-ball-sized piece of dough. On a lightly flour-dusted surface roll out the dough forming a small circle.
7. 7--- 4. Assembling ---
8. 8Make pastelitos: 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.
9. 9--- 5. Fry ---
10. 10Frying: 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.