Mexican pineapple empanadas: Empanadas de piña

by Karen Hursh Graber © 2014

Pineapple seems to be the most common fruit filling for empanadas in Mexico, but guava and apple are frequently used and delicious. The dough for sweet Mexican empanadas usually contains some sugar, but any basic empanada dough can be used, sprinkling sugar on top.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 sticks cold butter, cut into 16 tablespoon size pieces
• 2 eggs
• 2-4 tablespoons cold water
• Sugar for sprinkling

Mix the flour, sugar and butter in the bowl of a food processor, or use a mixing bowl and pastry cutter, adding eggs and water until a coarse dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a flat surface and knead it for a few minutes. Separate the dough into two balls, flatten them, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough out into 1/8 inch thick sheets. Cut circles the size of your choice. There should be about 15 medium size discs or 25 large.

For the pineapple filling:

• 2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar or piloncillo
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup cold water
• 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

In a medium size saucepan, combine the pineapple, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook over low heat until most of the liquid from the pineapple has evaporated.

Make a slurry with the water and cornstarch, add to the pineapple and continue cooking until thickened. Allow the filling to cool before filling empanadas.

Fill empanada discs with 1-2 tablespoons of filling, depending upon the size of the discs. Seal well with the tines of a fork or by folding edges over.

Bake at 375°f for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow to cool slightly, and sprinkle with sugar while still warm. Makes about 15 medium or 25 large empanadas.