Foodstagram Friday : Vigan Empanada

Special Vigan Empanada

Mix Vigan Longganisa, grated papaya (or other vegetable of choice) and egg, wrap it on a colorful dough and deep fry it for a little over a couple of minutes and you will have a sumptuous Ilocos Empanada.

The people of Vigan, like most Ilocanos have a sweet love affair with vegetables and pinakbet is a good case in point. This love affair with vegetables lead them to have this delectable empanada which is a mixture of backyard vegatables and one of their well-known product - Vigan Longganisa as meat filling. 

 The vegetable is mainly composed of grated green papaya but you can also mix other vegetables such as cabbage, carrots and mongo sprouts. Sayote is also a good substitute for green papaya. Rice flour is used for making the crust or the shell. The galapong or rice flour dough is made a day before it is used. Atchuete or orange food color, salt and oil are mixed into the rice though. The dough mixture is then kneaded as thinly as possible. Then it is deep fried in oil. 

Empanada is best served hot and eaten together with spicy vinegar dip.