YAY for the first zucchinis of the season! Zucchini is one of the main reasons I tolerate summer. Sure I complain a lot about being hot all time and the sun being just too freaking bright but the zucchini helps make it all worth dealing with.
Empanadas. Little hard pies. A perfect little vessel to stuff some zucchini into. Add some dill and it makes it all the better. I mean who wouldn't a zucchini and dill stuffed pastry on a warm summer afternoon (or whatever time you feel like eating). They are super easy to make, light and crispy, and are little pies of zucchini. What is not to like? Plus they require no utensils to eat them . Think about it, Make batch, throw them into a picnic basket and head to a nice little grassy patch under a tree. Doesn't that sound just so nice? That does sound nice. Why didn't I do that? Oh because I was busy being pissy because I made a perfect batch and while letting them cool off in the oven for a few minutes I accidentally turned on the broiler and burnt a few. But whatever, the mr actually really liked them burnt so no harm no foul, But next time I make them it will definitely be for a picnic.
Now to the zucchini dill empanadas!
The stuff. Zucchinis, a carrot and a onion, some dill and ground ginger, salt and pepper, water, oil, flour, and baking powder.
Start with making the filling. Chop the carrots into little cubes then grate up the onion and zucchinis.
Gather the zucchini and onion into a tea towel (or cheese cloth) and squeeze out he excess liquid. ( I squeezed it into the dough mixture)
dump the zucchini and onion into a heated and lightly oiled skillet. Add in the carrots, the ginger and dill, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. mix around a cook until the zucchini has gone cooked down and the carrots are slightly tender. Remove from heat.
Now make the dough. Ad the wet the dry and mix around unit a shaggy dough form then knead it for about a minute and place in a clean bowl covered with a towel to rest for 15 or so minutes.
After the dough has rested, dump into counter, pat into a disk and cut into 12 equal pieces.
Then roll each piece into a ball. Take a ball and on a lightly floured surface, roll out into a disk.
Then add the filling, A couple heading tablespoons of cooled filling go Into the middle. Have a little bowl or water and dip a finger into the bowl and run wet finger around the edge od dough. Fold the filed disk in half and lightly press the dough together. Now you can either try to twist the edges or just crimp them with a fork. Take a knife and cut a little steam vent into he top the place onto a baking sheet. Repeat until all empanadas are made.
Brush tops with a little oiled sprinkle with pepper. Pop into the oven to bake.
Pro tip. Don’t accidentally turn on the broiler right before you pull them out (especially if they were perfect. But in all honesty the mr liked the burnt ones so whatever.) Once they are nice and golden brown, pop them out of the oven.
Now toss them onto a plate and start feeding your face. No utensils required. Dipping sauce is up to you.
-C
Zucchini Dill Empanadas
makes 12
For dough
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cold water
Filling
2 small zucchinis (3 packed cups grated)
a small onion
a carrot
2 tablespoons fresh or 1 tablespoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
salt and pepper
vegetable oil
Start with making the filling. Chop the carrot into small little cubes then shred the zucchini and onion on a box grater. Gather the zucchini and onion and place in a clean tea towel of cheese cloth and ring to excess liquid. Place the carrot and the zucchini and onions into a preheated and lightly oiled skillet. Add in the dill, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook down for 7-9 minutes or until zucchini has lost a lot of liquid and the carrot pieces are fork tender. Remove from heat and let cool.
Make dough. Place the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix around. Add in the water and oil and mix until it comes together into a shaggy dough. Dump out onto counter and knead for about a minutes them place dough back into the bowl ( wipe it out) and cover with a towel. Let dough rest for 15 or so minutes.
Preheat oven to 375.
Once dough has rested, plop onto counter, pat into a disk shape, then cut into 12 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Lightly flour the counter and start to roll each ball out into a round disk about 4-5 inches wide. You can one at a time and fill it or roll them all out and fill all at the same time.
To fill, take about 2 heaping teaspoons of the cooled filling and place in the center of the rolled out disk. dip your finger into water and and run it around the edge of the dough then fold in half and lightly press the edge together. Then either twist the edge or crimp the edge with a fork. Take a knife and cut a small slit into the top then place on a baking sheet. Once all the empanadas are on the sheet, lightly brush the tops with oil and sprinkle with black pepper. Pop into the oven and bake for 20 -25 minutes or unit the empanadas are a nice golden brown.
Remove from oven. Eat while hot.
Place any left overs in a container in the fridge for 5-7 days. Reheat in oven or toaster oven.
