Black Bean and Rice Empanadas

When I was in high school, we had "open campus" which meant we could leave for lunch.  Assuming we had transportation.  I was one of the two upperclassmen in a class of 60 who did not.  But packing a lunch and eating in the cafeteria were so uncool.  Fortunately, we had one option.

A very short distance from the high school was an independent building about the size of a small cabin that an older woman rented out and turned into a catering business.  And for high school student lunches she made the most fabulous pies.  The ham and cheese and broccoli and cheese were the best.  I've tried duplicating them several times, but sadly, didn't even come close.  

These ones don't come close, either, but that's mainly because of the filling.  Anyway, I thought empanadas with black beans and rice would be a good thing to try out.  I was pretty sure my family and I would prefer meat and cheese in our pie filling, but beans and rice are so food storage-y.  And they'd be especially suited to those people who thought storing just beans and rice would somehow be a good idea.  We know that isn't going to work out well.  

When life gets more interesting than it now is, the opportunity to rest our bodies at dinner while we recharge is going to become really important.  And being able to fill hungry bellies with good food will be critical.  As I've stated before, one of the challenges people will face is food fatigue.  Being able to present the same foods in different combinations and visual presentations will help alleviate food fatigue to some degree.  

Empanadas are bread dough wrapped around any number of fillings.  Black beans and rice are about as food storage-y as you can get, but meat, cheese, and vegetables can also be used, and even fruits for a sweet treat.  The dough is easy to work with and no special equipment is required.  

Empanada Dough
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lard
2 large eggs, divided
1 cup ice water
1 tablespoon white vinegar

In a medium bowl, combine salt and flour.  Cut in lard with a pastry cutter.  In a small bowl, combine one egg, water, and vinegar, and then add to the flour mixture.  Stir the dough into a ball.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 minutes, adding more flour if dough is too sticky.  Let rest 30 minutes.

Black Bean and Rice Empanada Filling
1 can (15 ounces) black beans
3/8 cup cooked rice
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced, or 1 tablespoon dehydrated chopped jalapenos, rehydrated

In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well to distribute spices.

Assembling the empanadas:

In a small bowl, whisk the other egg.  Roll dough out to 1/8-1/4" thickness and cut out circles.  (Alternatively, divide dough into 10-12 equal balls and pat them out into circles about 5-6 inches in diameter.  Place filling in center and brush edges with beaten egg.  Fold over to make a semicircle and crimp edges shut with a fork (or press with fingers)  Brush tops with the beaten egg.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 

Family reviews:  The very first thing out of Becky's mouth as we sat down was, "Lydia said these were food storage," as if resigned to her cruel fate.  Sometimes you just want to smack some people.  But they looked good, and we also had refried beans, salsa, and guacamole on the table.

I had very accidentally omitted the peppers--I got them rehydrated and ready to add to the filling, but I was multitasking (cooking bacon in the oven for another meal) and watching a Korean drama.  Not a good combination, especially when the drama is really good.  We tried sprinkling the peppers into the filling as we took each bite, but that didn't work very well.

So the filling was a bit on the blah side, but I'm not entirely convinced that the peppers would have made it that much better.  There's no fat in the filling, and I think a little fat in the form of cheese or sour cream or cream cheese would improve it dramatically.  Of course, those who store only beans and rice won't have many options anyway.

However!  Dipping the empanada in guacamole improved it dramatically.  I'm sure sour cream would have the same effect, but I couldn't be bothered to try it last night.  That would have meant leaving the table and the delicious guacamole, and there might not have been any guac left by the time I returned.  QOTPE makes fabulous guacamole, even if she doesn't put any onions in it.  

We all scarfed the empanadas down, my husband wanted two for his lunch the next day, and I'm pretty sure it will be a race to the refrigerator at lunchtime for the last two.  We'll definitely be making these again, probably throwing a little cheese in with this filling.  However, this dough could easily be used with all kinds of different fillings, and we're looking forward to trying some of those out as well.

Notes:  I used instant rice since I didn't have any leftover in the refrigerator.  I used powdered egg for the dough, but a fresh egg for the wash.  

Links to related posts:
DIY Minute Rice

Salsa
9.8.23