The Filipino Food Channel
Ilocos Empanada
Ressie Fermin was the first featured cook of Seafood City’s Filipino Food Channel. Her recipe was Ilocos empanada, a turnover specialty from the northern province of the Philippines. It was her aunt who taught her this empanada with its crust made of rice flour colored orange with achuete and a filling of shredded green papaya, split monggo, longganisa and whole egg. Fermin is from Laoag, Ilocos Norte and presently works as a nurse in Scarborough, Canada. She is also a member “Pinoy Eats” a facebook group of Filipinos who want to spread the good word about Filipino food.
Servings: 3-4 persons
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Annato powder/Atsuete
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 2 cups water
- 1 package of split mung beans
- 1 green papaya
- 1 package of Ilocos Longganisa
- Eggs
Instructions:
Prepare the fillings
- Boil the mung beans with water until half cooked. Strain and remove skin peelings.
- Grate the green papaya and boil with water. Strain and squeeze out absorbed water.
- Mix the cooked mung bean and grated papaya. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the Ilocos Longganisa according to package directions.
- While preparing the filling, pour oil on a frying pan and set it on medium heat.
- Put water on pot. Add annato powder, salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Add rice flour. Stir and mix well until there are no more lumps. Take out from the heat and cool it down. Knead and add rice flour until it's soft and sticky and not easy to pull apart. Set aside.
- Once the dough is prepared, get a handful and place it in between 2 clear plastic sheets. Flatten the dough and make it into a round shape.
- Assemble the empanada. Start by laying the papaya and mung bean mixture. Add the Ilocos Longganisa, creating an opening in the middle for the cracked egg. Close the empanada by lifting a half end (making a D-shape). Press the edges to seal then trim it by rolling a plate.
- Fry the empanada until crispy and golden. Drain excess oil. Serve while hot with Ilocos Vinegar.
