Mini Empanadas are a Good Thing

What to do on a dreary, rainy day? Make empanadas! I was going through my Martha Stewart Hors D'oeuvres Handbook today and was excited to discover that I already had every ingredient for a recipe for mini empanadas. So I decided to give them a whirl. The recipe was a little bit time consuming but definitely worth the effort. The empanadas (or empanaditas, as Martha calls them) were wonderfully delicious. The crust was tender and flaky and the filling was perfect... not too heavy and full of flavor. You must try them!








EMPANADA DOUGH

• 3 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 6 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2) sticks unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the vegetable shortening and the butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, slowly add the wather through the feed tube, and pulse until a ball of dough forms. Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap. Use your hands to pat the dough into a 4-inch disk. Wrap the dough with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight, until completely chilled.



CHICKEN, APPLE, AND CHEDDAR EMPANADITAS

• 1 small Granny Smith apple, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut lenthwise into thin strips (Quick tip: I used leftover store-bought rotisserie chicken)
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
• 2 1/2 ounces white Chedar chesese, grated on the large holes of a box grater to yield about 2/3 cup
• Kosher salt and finely ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon milk

1. Toss the apples with the lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the apples and lemon juice and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until the apples begin to soften. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken pieces. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into small pieces. Stir in the rosemary and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, lightly beat together the egg and milk. Set aside. Roll the dough out to a thickness that is between 1/16 inch and 1/8 inch. Unsing a 3 1/4-inch cookie cutter, cut out 48 rounds, rerolling the dough one time. Place the rounds onto the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refridgerate for 20 minutes.
4. Place a scant tablespoon of the filling in the center of 1 circle. Use your finger to brush a little of the egg wash into the inner rim of the circle. Fold the circle in half, forming a half moon. Pinch the edges together with your fingers and use a fork to seal the empanadita. Using your forefinger, push the seal edge of the dough toward the filling to form the fluted edge. Brush the top of the empanadita with the egg wash and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with all of the empanaditas and bake until the dough is golden, 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.