Brazilian-Style Shrimp Empanadas
Creamy shrimp filling with cream cheese, paprika, and cumin, in the style of Brazilian requeijão. The filling must be very cold when assembling and the crimping is done upwards: both things prevent the cream from leaking in the oven.
Ingredients
- 12 oven-ready empanada discs
- 350 g peeled and cleaned shrimp (weight once thawed)
- 200 g cream cheese
- 150 g green onions
- 1 small onion
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1/2 bell pepper
- 200 g tomato
- 1 celery stalk with its leaves
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 lemon (juice)
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp hot paprika (optional)
- Olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste
Method
- 1
Drizzle the shrimp with a few drops of lemon juice. If bought frozen, you need about half a kilo: they come with a thick layer of ice that disappears when thawed.
- 2
Dice all the vegetables as small as possible, using the celery leaves as well. If using plum tomatoes, peel and seed them before dicing.
- 3
Sauté the onion and the white part of the green onions in olive oil, reserving the green tops for the end.
- 4
When the onion becomes translucent, add the minced garlic and the bell pepper.
- 5
Season immediately with the cumin, sweet paprika, and the hot paprika if desired. Stir for a few seconds so the hot oil absorbs the aromas.
- 6
Incorporate the diced tomato and the green tops of the green onions.
- 7
Add the cream cheese and the tomato paste, and stir until combined.
- 8
Add the shrimp and the tablespoon of flour, stir until thickened, and turn off the heat one minute later: the shrimp do not need more cooking than that.
- 9
Transfer the filling to a container, let it cool, and place it in the refrigerator until it is very cold and compact. Assembling with warm filling is what causes it to leak.
- 10
Fill the discs without leaving air inside: trapped air expands in the oven and bursts the empanada.
- 11
Crimp the edges upwards. With creamy fillings, gravity works in your favor and the seal does not leak.
- 12
Bake at 200 °C on a non-stick (or buttered and floured) baking sheet (frying pan) for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.