Whenever I visit Puerto Rico, I make sure to eat all kinds of empanadas...or I should say empanadillas. Puerto Ricans call these pockets of happiness empanadillas, because empanadas refer to a completely different dish. The fillings vary from carne ( ground beef) to cangrejo ( crab) to chapin ( local fish), but some of the most unique empanadas I've had are pizza empanadas. I've never seen them outside of Puerto Rico, but that's ok, because these might be the easiest type of empanadas to make! You only need four 4 ingredients to make these ooey, gooey treats, and I'm absolutelt certain they'll quickly become a family fave. Every time I make these pizza empanadas, I'm taken straight back to the island.
1 package frozen small empanada discs, defrosted (Recommended: Goya)
1/3 cup marinara sauce
8 ounces pasteurized mozzarella cheese (not fresh mozzerella), sliced into 10 pieces
Canola oil, for frying
Preheat about 1 inch of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Spoon 1-2 teaspoons into the center of the disc
Lay a slice of cheese onto the sauce (you can break the cheese into pieces if needed).
Seal both sides of the empanadas tightly by pressing down on the edges with a fork.
Fry the empanadas for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown.
Drain the empanadas on a plate lined with paper towel sheets and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Otherwise, the molten lava inside will burn your taste buds off (that's NEVER happened to me, of course!)