World Dishes: Latin and Caribbean Cuisine - Part 2: Felt Empanadas

by Felicia Davenport

My husband’s family is from Honduras and the West Indies. Marrying into this culture has given me the honor of experiencing it up close and indulging in the delicious flavors of Latin and Caribbean cuisine. One memorable dish I encountered was empanadas. The ones I tried were stuffed with spiced beef, while others were filled with spiced chicken. Since then, I’ve also had sweet variations. Either way, I’m always easily swayed by anything involving dough, pastry, and a delicious filling!

An empanada is a type of bread or fried turnover made with pastry and a filling—either sweet or savory. This dish is enjoyed all over the world, from Southern Europe and Northern Africa to the Philippines and many Latin American countries. The name comes from the Spanish word empanar, meaning "to bread" or "to coat with bread." Empanadas are made by folding dough over a filling and then cooking them by either baking or frying. They are truly delicious and have become a staple in my family. Creating a felt version for my kiddos was not only easy but also incredibly fun!

Materials Used:

All felt used for this project is from The Felt Store

  • Felt Empanadas - Rayon/Viscose Felt in Beige
  • Thread – pick thread colors to match your felt. I used a rust brown color I had on hand. It does not need to be an exact match
  • Cutting machine (for machine cutting – I used the Cricut Maker machine for this project but you can also cut by hand)
  • Pencil or felt pen, scissors and ruler (for hand cutting)
  • Straight pins
  • Doll stuffing

Measurements for each element:

  • Felt Empanada – 4.5 in wide by 4 in high
  • 6 ovals needed total
    •

    Instructions:

    1. Cut your empanada dough from felt. You can either hand-cut the ovals or use a cutting machine. Each oval should measure 4.5 inches wide and 4 inches high. For six empanadas, you’ll need a total of six ovals.
    2. Take a good chunk of doll stuffing and place in the center of your circle.

    1. Next, fold each felt oval in half and secure it with straight pins. The shape will be slightly plump, just like a real empanada!

    1. Using a blanket stitch, you will now stitch your felt oval closed along the open edge only. The resulting stitch will appear as the ridges on the outside of the empanada.

    1. Continue the stitch and then secure it and cut the excess string. You will repeat this process for the other 5 ovals.

    1. Enjoy your Felt Empanadas!

    I hope you find this project fun and easy to recreate. This was such a fun project, that is truly beginner friendly. The best part, is these empanadas could easily be used in a multitude of ways, imaginative play, education, and decor. Please share your versions of these Felt Empanadas on social media by tagging @the_felt_store and @TheWaySheFelt_ on Instagram!

    Happy Crafting!

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