Author Notes
Make your own empanada dough - or buy ready-made pastries at the market. —garlic and zest
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Ingredients
- for the pastry
-
4 1/2 cups
flour
-
2 teaspoons
salt
-
2
sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into chunks
-
2
large eggs
-
2/3 cup
water
-
2 tablespoons
distilled white vinegar
- for the filling
-
3 tablespoons
olive oil
-
1 pound
ground turkey (not extra lean)
-
1
medium onion, chopped
-
1
reen bell pepper, chopped
-
3
cloves garlic, minced
-
1
tomato, chopped
-
1/2 cup
golden raisins
-
1 tablespoon
ground cumin
-
1 teaspoon
smoked paprika
-
1 teaspoon
Ancho or other chili powder
-
2 tablespoons
tomato paste
-
3/4 teaspoon
salt
-
1/2 teaspoon
ground pepper
-
1 cup
crumbled queso fresco
-
1
egg
-
1 tablespoon
water
Directions
-
Pulse the butter and flour in the work bowl of a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Note: if you don't have a food processor, work the butter and flour between your fingers until you have the same consistency.
-
Beat together the eggs, water and vinegar in a small bowl and add to the flour mixture, stirring until just incorporated. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gather the dough together. Knead gently once or twice, just enough to bring the dough together. Shape into a flat rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap for at least 1 hour.
-
Adjust oven racks to the top 1/3 and bottom 1/3 of the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic and sauté 4-5 minutes until vegetables soften. Add the ground turkey and brown the meat while breaking it apart with the back of a fork or wooden spoon. Add the fresh tomato, raisins cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until mixture is well blended - adjust seasonings if necessary. Remove from heat, stir in queso fresco and place the lid on the pan. Set aside.
-
Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one piece of dough to 1/8" thick. Cut the dough into 5" rounds and transfer to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Repeat until all the dough has been rolled and cut.
-
(If you're using the store-bought pastry, this is where they come into play.) Mound 2 tablespoons of turkey filling onto the pastry and carefully fold over, pressing along the edge to seal the dough. Use the tines of a fork to press the edge together and make a decorative border.
-
Add the egg and water to a small bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Use a pastry brush to paint the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake for 25 minutes, alternating the baking sheets halfway through cooking. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and serve.
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