Chicken & chorizo empanada

 

The recipe has been separated out to ‘pastry’ and ‘filling’ so that you can add whatever fillings you like to yours – experiment with sweet flavours like Nutella and banana, with a little cinnamon added in to your pastry mix, or pack in some roasted veggies….the possibilities are endless. Just ensure that you have a medium wetness to your filling so that it’s not too dry, but not overly saucy that it will seep through the pastry when cooking.

 

INGREDIENTS:

Pastry

250g plain flour

pinch sea salt

100g butter

2 x eggs (one in the mix and one to make egg wash with)

30ml cold water

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

• makes around 15 small empanadas, or 4 large ones –

 

FILLING:

3 large cooked chicken thighs (bone & skin removed )

2 small chorizo sausages (ideally cooking chorizo)

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

 Half an onion (finely chopped)

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 clove garlic (minced)

Handful of parsley (roughly chopped)

Juice of half a fresh lemon

 

METHOD:

1. Add all of the dry ingredients for the pastry to a bowl, then with your finger tips, crumble the butter and flour together.

2. Add 1 egg, the water and vinegar to a separate bowl and beat together.

3. Add the wet mix to the dry mix, then using one hand (keep the other clean, and out of the bowl) mix everything together, dusting with a little flour as you go to keep the mix from becoming too sticky.

4. Pop the pastry in to a freezer bag or wrap in cling film, then place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

5. In a bowl, shred the chicken thighs.

6. Chop the chorizo in to tiny bite size pieces and add to the chicken.

7. To the bowl, add the paprika, onion, mayonnaise, olive oil, garlic, parsley and lemon juice, then get your hands in and have a goot squidge and mix to ensure everything is evenly coated.

8. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (around gas mark 5)

9. Remove the pastry from the fridge – lightly flour the table, then break off some of the pastry, coat each sixe with a little of the flour from the table and roll out. 

10. Use a circle shaped cutter (or a cup or bowl will do) to make circles, then add a little of the filling to the middle, fold the pastry over in half to a semi-circle, press your fingers around the edges to seal the pastry and then using a fork, lightly press around the edges to further seal and add a little pattern.

11. Mix together one egg with around the same volume of fluid in cold water, beat together then brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash.

12. Place on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes if small ones, or 30 minutes if larger ones are made (or until cooked through to the middle and nicely browned on top).

13. Leave to cool for around 5-10 minutes before enjoying.