A street snack of Central America and the Caribbean, empanadas can really be filled with anything you have on hand. This recipe and its variations offer several of the traditional fillings. Masa harina can be found at most supermarkets and Latin grocery stores. It adds a nice crunch to the dough, but regular flour works well, too.

　　

Ingredients

makes 12, enough for 12 snacks or 4 main courses

　　1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little flour for rolling the dough

　　1/2 cup masa harina, fine cornmeal, or more all-purpose flour

　　1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 cup lard (traditional), shortening, or vegetable oil

　　2 1/2 cups Shredded Pork (page 396)

　　1/2 cup milk

　　

Step 1

Mix the all-purpose flour, masa harina, baking powder, and salt together in a food processor; process for about 5 seconds. With the machine running, add the lard and process for 10 seconds. Then, with the machine still running, gradually add about 1/2 cup cold water, stopping when the dough forms a ball; the dough should be fairly dry. Knead by hand until smooth, just a minute or so.

　　

Step 2

Divide the dough into 12 pieces, roll each piece into a ball, wrap in plastic or cover with a damp towel, and let rest for at least 20 minutes. (You can refrigerate the dough overnight; be sure to let it come to room temperature before proceeding.) On a well-floured surface, roll each piece into a 6-inch circle, adding flour as necessary.

　　

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a couple of tablespoons of the pork on each of the circles, then fold each circle over; seal the seam with a few drops of water and press with the tines of a fork to close. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and brush lightly with milk. Bake until the dough is golden brown and hot, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

　　

Chicken Empanadas

Step 4

Substitute 2 1/2 cups of the chicken mixture from Chicken Tacos (page 323) for the filling.

　　

Chorizo Empanadas

Step 5

A very easy one: substitute 2 1/2 cups chopped or crumbled cooked, fresh Mexican chorizo (remove it from its skin first) for the filling.

　　

Seafood Empanadas

Step 6

Substitute 2 1/2 cups cooked shrimp, crabmeat, fish, or a mixture for the filling. Or use canned tuna

　　

Bean and Cheese Empanadas

Step 7

Substitute 2 1/2 cups cooked beans (page 431) for the filling. Sprinkle crumbled queso fresco, blanco, añejo, or cojita (page 85) or grated Monterey Jack cheese on the beans and proceed as directed.

　　

Vegetable Empanadas

Step 8

Omit the pork. Cook 1 medium onion, diced, in 2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, canola, or other neutral oil until softened. Mix with Roasted Red Peppers (page 470), diced, and use as the filling for the empanadas.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.