Empanadas are little pockets of deliciousness that can be filled with a variety of ingredients. They are often shaped like half moons but you can create rectangles and triangles as well, to signify the type of filling to be discovered inside. Empanadas originated in Spain and can be served hot or cold. One of my left coast friends made empanadas recently from a recipe found at foodandwine.com, and I modified it here to suit my tastes. For the purists out there, please ignore the following statement: if you are short on time you could use pre-made dough.
Dough:
4 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
Filling:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, very finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pound pork tenderloin, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup amber beer
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and very finely chopped
In a small bowl, beat 3 of the egg yolks with the whole egg. In a large bowl, whisk 3 1/2 cups of the flour with the salt. With a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in the butter until it's evenly distributed in tiny flecks. Add the wine, 1/4 cup of the milk and the beaten eggs and stir until a soft dough forms. Pat the dough into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm.
In a small bowl, whisk the 1 remaining egg yolk with the remaining 1 tablespoon of milk; cover the bowl and keep the egg wash chilled.
In a medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is browned, about 8 minutes longer.
Meanwhile in a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped pork, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until the pork is golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Stir and cook until no pink remains, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in the browned onions, beer, cilantro, soy sauce, lime juice, paprika, garlic, cumin and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the filling to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350. Turn one disk of dough out onto a floured work surface and sprinkle with flour. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut the dough into a 15-by-12-inch rectangle and pitch the scraps. Cut the dough into nine 4-by-5-inch rectangles. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of filling onto one side of each rectangle. Moisten the edges with water and close the empanadas, pressing the edges to seal. Transfer the empanadas to a large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the second disk of dough and the remaining filling.
Brush the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake them for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the empanadas are golden brown. Serve.
Dough:
4 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
Filling:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, very finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pound pork tenderloin, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup amber beer
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and very finely chopped
In a small bowl, beat 3 of the egg yolks with the whole egg. In a large bowl, whisk 3 1/2 cups of the flour with the salt. With a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in the butter until it's evenly distributed in tiny flecks. Add the wine, 1/4 cup of the milk and the beaten eggs and stir until a soft dough forms. Pat the dough into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm.
In a small bowl, whisk the 1 remaining egg yolk with the remaining 1 tablespoon of milk; cover the bowl and keep the egg wash chilled.
In a medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is browned, about 8 minutes longer.
Meanwhile in a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped pork, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until the pork is golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Stir and cook until no pink remains, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in the browned onions, beer, cilantro, soy sauce, lime juice, paprika, garlic, cumin and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the filling to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350. Turn one disk of dough out onto a floured work surface and sprinkle with flour. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut the dough into a 15-by-12-inch rectangle and pitch the scraps. Cut the dough into nine 4-by-5-inch rectangles. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of filling onto one side of each rectangle. Moisten the edges with water and close the empanadas, pressing the edges to seal. Transfer the empanadas to a large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the second disk of dough and the remaining filling.
Brush the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake them for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the empanadas are golden brown. Serve.
