Instructions
Empanada Filling:
Blitz chorizo – Roughly chop chorizo into 1.5cm / 1/2″ pieces. Blitz using a stick blender until it becomes a paste (Note 1)
Sauté aromatics – Heat oil in a large non stick pan over high heat. Cook onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
Cook meat – Add chorizo and cook for 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until you no longer see raw beef. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Then add everything else except green onion, then stir.
Cook 15 min – Bring to a simmer then lower heat so it’s simmering gently. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then. Goal – juicy but not watery filling, with cooked potato.
Cool – Stir through green onion. Transfer to bowl and fully cool before using (~ 2 hours).
Empanada shortcrust pastry:
Blitz dough – Whisk milk and yolk in a small jug. Pulse flour, salt and butter in a food processor until the butter becomes fine crumbs – largest lumps no bigger than peas (~ 4 to 6 times). Add egg-milk mixture, then blitz on low until it comes together into a ball of dough – about 10 seconds. (Note 2 for hand method)
Chill 30 min – Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, then bring together into a smooth log ~20cm/8″ long. Cut in half, shape into 2cm / 0/8″ thick round discs. Wrap in cling wrap then refrigerate 30 minutes (or overnight – Note 3).
Cut rounds – Place one chilled disc on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to 3 mm / 0.1″ thickness. Cut 15 cm/6″ rounds (I use a bowl), or other size as desired (Note 3). Keep covered in the fridge, stacked on paper, as you continue to roll and cut. You should get 10 or 11 rounds.
Make empanadas:
Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan).
Filling – Filling should be cold but spreadable (Note 4). Place 3 tablespoons (55g) of filling on the top half of a round of pastry. Spread flat in a half-moon shape, leaving a 1.5cm / 0.6″ border. Sprinkle with olive and egg.
Seal – Brush edge with egg white, fold to enclose, pressing out air and sealing the edge. Optional: Do empanada pleats – see step photos in post or video at 3 min 30 sec. Alternatively, crimp with fork or leave plain.
Bake 20 min – Place empanadas on 2 baking trays. Brush with egg yolk. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown all over and crispy on the base.
Serve hot with dipping sauce of choice – my favourite is the homemade Empanada Sauce!
Recipe Notes:
1. Chorizo blitzing – Really is the best way to meld into the beef and release a ton of flavour into the filling mixture! Better than chopping.
2. Dough hand method – Rub butter in with your fingers. Mix milk in with a wooden spoon then knead until it forms a smooth dough.
Dough overnight – The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge. It will be rock hard so take it out 30 minutes prior to soften slightly.
3. Size – Empanadas come in all sorts of sizes but for authentic South American, go big or go home! 🙂 I initially made empanadas the size of gyoza and we were called out by Chef JB’s Chilean friend for making them untraditionally small. So we fixed it! But feel free to make smaller ones (same bake time).
4. Filling – If your filling is ice cold and rock hard, it will be hard to wrap. Allow it to come to room temp (or give it a microwave helping hand) so the mixture is loose but still cold (else it will melt butter in the pastry).
