Empanadas de Chaya con Queso de Bola
Desayunos Fuertes: Weekend Mornings at Home
In the Yucatan, weekend mornings smell like toasted corn and hot oil. These are the empanadas you find at the neighborhood lonchería—crisp, golden masa yielding to the sharp, salty pull of Dutch Edam cheese. We swap the native, hard-to-find chaya leaf for hearty Swiss chard, but keep the local secret: a pinch of wheat flour to hold the dough together in the fryer. It’s a flawless marriage of indigenous earthiness and old-world trade, best eaten standing up, dripping with smoky, charred tomato salsa.
Before you start
Make the chiltomate a day ahead.
The roasted tomato salsa holds up perfectly in the fridge, saving you time when you're ready to fry.
Grate the cheese in advance.
Freshly grated Edam is essential. Pre-shredded bags contain anti-caking agents that ruin the melt. Do it the night before.
Ingredients
- masa harina2 cup
- all-purpose flour2 tbsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- warm water1 1/2 cup
- fresh Swiss chard or mature spinach leaves1 tightly packed cup
- Edam cheese2 1/2 cup
- neutral vegetable oil3 cup
- Roma tomatoes4 med
- white onion1/4 med
- garlic2 med cloves
- fresh habanero pepper1 med
- vegetable oil1 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Char the salsa ingredients.
Heat a dry, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Roast the whole tomatoes, onion quarter, unpeeled garlic, and the habanero directly on the dry metal until softened and blistered with black spots, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- 02
Blend and simmer the chiltomate.
Peel the garlic, place the roasted vegetables and half a teaspoon of salt in a blender, and pulse until chunky. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a small saucepan, pour in the blended salsa, and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes to intensify the flavors.
- 03
Hydrate and fortify the masa.
In a large bowl, whisk the masa harina, all-purpose flour, and salt, then mix in the finely minced greens. Gradually pour in the warm water, kneading with your hands until it feels like soft, slightly damp playdough, then cover with a damp towel and rest for 10 minutes.
- 04
Press the dough into thin circles.
Divide the dough into 12 to 14 golf-ball-sized portions. Using a tortilla press or a heavy skillet, press each ball between two sheets of plastic bag to a 1/8-inch thickness.
- 05
Fill with cheese and seal tightly.
Place a generous tablespoon of grated Edam slightly off-center. Fold the dough over into a half-moon shape using the plastic sheet to guide you, then firmly crimp the edges completely closed so the cheese cannot leak out in the fryer.
- 06
Fry to a shattering crisp.
Heat an inch of neutral vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F. Fry the empanadas in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden.
- 07
Drain and serve immediately.
Transfer the empanadas to paper towels to drain briefly, then serve piping hot with the warm, smoky chiltomate spooned directly over the top.
Notes
The hybrid dough secret.
Adding a touch of wheat flour to the corn masa gives the dough elasticity. It prevents the empanada from splitting in the hot oil and spilling its cheese.
Testing the oil.
If you don't have a thermometer, drop a pinch of masa into the hot oil. If it bubbles vigorously and floats right to the top without burning, you are ready to fry.