Empanada de Carne

I have a weakness and I can't deny it - meat wrapped in any kind of pastry. Boil it, steam it or fry it, I will eat it and I will love it. This is why I make 120 dumplings at a time, even when there are only four people eating them. Of course, if I ate 120 (or even 3 for that matter) of these empanadas, I'd probably look like an empanada myself. So the numbers were a little bit more respectable this time around.

These are perfect little coffee time snacks and work with just about any kind of filling - a little make over for left overs really. These empanadas are made with a delicious picadillo filling. Much as I'd like you to think that I had leftover picadillo sitting in my refrigerator, it is simply not true. When I make picadillo, there are NO leftovers. Ever. So I cooked some especially for these chubby little babies. These empanadas are baked not fried so there's a saving grace! I had posted my go-to picadillo recipe some time ago, click here and follow along for the filling recipe.

Yield - Makes 8 
Time - 1 Hour

Ingredients

2 Cups Self Rising Flour

2 Oz Butter

2 small Eggs

Salt

1/4 Cup Water

2 Cups Picadillo Filling 

Oil Spray

Method

Cut chilled butter into smaller pieces. Combine the flour, butter, salt and one egg in a food processor with the kneading blade. You can do this by hand quite easily too, I am just lazy.

Blitz it till the ingredients are completely combined and resemble breadcrumbs.

Add cold water a little at a time and knead the dough till it stops being sticky and bounces back when you poke it.

With a sharp knife cut the dough in 8 equal pieces. Best way to achieve this is by cutting the dough in half and then each half in further half, etc.

Dust a smooth surface with a bit of flour and roll out the dough into approximately 5 inch rounds (kinda sorta rounds work too!)

Put about 2 tablespoons of the picadillo filling in the center of the dough round.

Close it and pinch the edges.

Spray EVOO (I use a Misto) on a baking tray and arrange the empanadas. 

Whisk the remaining egg in a bowl. Brush this egg wash over the empanadas. You won't need the whole egg so umm.. make an omelette or something with the rest of the egg wash.

Bake the empanadas in a pre heated oven at 375 F (190 C) for about 20 minutes till they are nice and golden. Check on them every now and again, every oven is different! 

Tuck in!

5 comments LABELS: Appetizers, Latin, Meat, Snack