Splendid Sprouted Speltness
These empanadas were inspired by banana breakfast empanadas that I gobbled up while visiting my former Ecuadorian host family in San Clemente, a little indigenous town nestled in the mountains of northern Ecuador. The ones I ate with my host family were made with white flour and were deep-fried in canola oil. Not surprisingly, they were mind-bogglingly delicious, especially when savored with piping hot freshly-brewed coffee.
Upon my return to the US, I kept craving them, so I challenged myself to make an equally delicious, healthier version. With the help of my sous chef Michelle, this is what I came up with.
1 1/2 cups sprouted spelt flour (if unavailable, use regular whole-grain spelt flour. If you desire lighter dough, half white spelt flour and half whole wheat works nicely)
Combine all ingredients except the yogurt into a bowl. Next, slowly incorporate the yogurt into the mixture and knead until the mixture forms into into a dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, as the dough is resting prepare the filling.
1-2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
1 tsp coconut sugar (this step is completely optional as the bananas should already be sweet enough)
2 tsp cinnamon or to taste
1. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter or coconut oil over high heat.
2. Add the banana slices a few handful at a time until all of the bananas are sizzlin' away in the pan.
3. Add the cinnamon and coconut sugar and sauté the bananas until they start to form one caramelized gooey delicious mess, about 4 minutes.
4. Once the bananas are caramelized to your satisfaction, turn off the heat and let them cool while you prepare the empanada dough.
5. After the dough has rested for 30 minutes, divide it into six equal sections.
6. Lightly flour a flat surface and a rolling pin with spelt flour.
(Consult this video to have a visual for steps 7-10 http://www.ehow.com/video_2346124_fold-empanadas.html)
7. Roll out each section into a thin yet semi-sturdy round. With a pairing knife, cut off any excess dough in order to make the rounds nice and even.
8. Distribute the filling equally into the center of the rolled out dough.
9. Take one side of the dough and lift it overtop of the filling.
10. Pinch the dough around the filling in order to close the empanada.
11. Once the empanada is closed, feel free to trim away any excess dough from the edges.
12. Take the dough, which should look like a half circle, and pinch it between your thumb and pointer finger, and then fold the little piece of pinched dough over the next little bit of dough on the edge of your half circle and press. Repeat this process until you have worked your way up the entire half circle. This technique is very difficult to describe and therefore I suggest taking a peek at the video I posted in order to visualize what I am taking about. Alternatively, you can simply take a fork and press it around the edges of your empanadas, creating a similar effect.
13. Place the empanadas on parchment paper on a baking sheet. With a fork, poke some holes in the top of the dough.
14. Brush the empanadas with some melted butter or coconut oil.
15. Sprinkle with cinnamon and coconut sugar(optional).
16. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until lightly golden.
Note: Just in case anyone is wondering, spelt is not a gluten-free grain. Therefore, anyone following a gluten-free diet should steer clear of spelt. However, spelt contains much lower levels of gluten and many people who are intolerant or sensitive to common wheat don't have any problems with spelt. I am not intolerant to common wheat, however I do feel more energized when I choose spelt products. I order some of my favorite spelt treats from this website: http://www.speltright.com.
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