29 September 2026
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Fried seafood empanadas - Pilar Hernández's Chilean Kitchen
The Kitchen
By Jean-Luc Moreau, the Technique desk · Chile · 1 min ·

Fried seafood empanadas - Pilar Hernández's Chilean Kitchen

I didn't have much seafood, but my craving got the better of me... so I made them with clams and shrimp. These delicious Chilean seafood empanadas turned out great, although I have to confess I missed the ones with abalone, sea squirts, and mussels that I used to eat during the summers in Duao cove.

Ingredients · Servings 20
  • 20 empanada wrappers, or homemade empanada dough
  • 2 cups of peeled, cooked, and tailed shrimp; I buy them ready-made frozen.
  • 2 cans of clams (approximately 250 grams)
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 cups of coarsely grated pizza cheese or similar, or homemade grated Chanco cheese (optional).
  • salt, pepper, merkén
Method · PT-497396H59M12S
  1. If the lids are frozen, defrost them; they are easier to work with at room temperature.
  2. Wash and finely dice the onion. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, chop the shrimp into small pieces.
  4. Open the cans and discard the liquid. Clean the clams, cut off and keep only the tongues, then chop them.
  5. In a bowl, mix the onion and chopped seafood. Add grated cheese if desired, and season with a little salt, pepper, and merkén. Stir and taste, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
  6. Separate the empanada dough rounds. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in each round and moisten the edge with water or milk. Close the dough and press firmly. Make as many folds as desired.
  7. Heat the oil to 380F or 190C in a high-sided pot. Cook 2-3 empanadas at a time, 2 minutes per side, until golden brown.
  8. Serve immediately.

Use store-bought empanada dough, but you can use this Chilean empanada dough if you want to make it yourself; it's been tested.

Description

One of the tastiest empanadas.

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