One of the most popular street snacks on the northwest coast, and available from Mompiche vendors peppered around the village, freshly fried empanadas fly off the tray at $0.50 apiece.
The best way to describe empanadas is: baked or fried turnovers consisting of pastry and filling. Green plantain empanadas, or Ecuadorian empanadas de verde, are gluten-free empanadas produced using a dough made with green plantain bananas and are traditionally filled with cheese, meat, or chicken, and can also be made vegan or vegetarian. When it comes to fillings, the sky is the limit.
Served with coleslaw and mayonnaise or chili sauce, they’re a great street snack… I make vegan versions of them at home, filled with delicious vegetables and shallow fried or baked in the oven. Two or three with salad is enough for dinner.
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