Seafood empanadas, Chilean style

Another recipe for empanadas. In Chile we grow up eating all kinds of seafood. My family have a small beach house on a very remote village on the central coast of Chile. I used to spend the whole summer there, my grand father taught me how to fish on the sea and many times we made whole day excursions to fish along the rocks. Or if we were lazy, we just sit on the front of the house and wait until one of the fisherman walks by with the catch of the day. 

Here in the USA is difficult to find our most love clam: pink razor clams, in this recipe I used ones brought to me as a present from Chile.

You can also add mussels, scallops, and white fish (cooked).

Seafood Empanadas

for 20 empanadas

Ingredients:

• 20 empanada dough, I buy Goya brand here in USA
• 2 cups peeled shrimp, cooked and tail off
• 2 cans of whole clams (pink clams if you can find)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cups shredded pizza cheese or Havarti 
• salt, pepper, merkén (Chilean smoked chili powder)

Preparation:

1. If the empanada dough are frozen, thaw, it is easier work them at room temperature.
2. Wash and chop the onion into small cubes. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and fry, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes.
3. In the meantime, chop the shrimp into small pieces.
4. Open the cans and discard the liquid. Clean the clams, cut into small pieces.
5. In a bowl mix the chopped onion and seafood, add the grated cheese, season with salt (little), pepper and merkén. Stir and taste, adjust the seasoning.
6. Separate the empanada dough. Place 2 teaspoons of filling into each pie and wet the edge of the pie with water or milk. Close the dough and tighten. Make the folds the way you want.
7. Heat oil to 380F or 190C in a deep pot. Cook 2-3 empanadas at a time, 2 minutes per side, until golden. Serve immediately.