Chicken & coriander empanadas

These would have to be the ultimate food to serve for the World Cup!

We loved eating the empanadas in South America and as I am never shy of an opportunity for a new post I had to make these for the blog.   A perfect thing to cook at home in the combi steam oven, especially when the soccer is on.

From when we found the tiny basement restaurant in Buenos Aires where we tried our first ‘carne picante’ empanada (spicy meat) then the local market in Santiago when we devoured the classic ‘carne’ (meat) empanadas, we were hooked.  The perfect ‘fast food’ they were being carried around the market on a tray, straight from the oven wrapped in towels to keep them warm for the locals lunchtime treat.  This is the type of thing that us foodies just love.  Local authentic food that is cooked to perfection!

We then tried a few different varieties, ham and cheese, chicken and corn.  I thought I would adapt the chicken recipe from a cookbook we were given, Argentinian Street Food by Enrique Zanoni & Gaston Stivelmaher.  This recipe is definitely tastier than the standard chicken empanada we ate in the streets.  Absolutely delicious served with a fresh tomato and chilli salsa (or a fresh tomato sauce if you have one with a bit of chilli added).

There are heaps of other fillings you can do, the options are endless.

Ingredients:  Makes approx. 12 for the filling with a little pastry remaining

Pastry:  Classic dough for baking

165g unsalted butter
500g plain flour
pinch salt
175ml water

1. Cut the butter into cubes.
2. Put the flour and salt into a food processor, add the cubed butter and process until combined.
3. Pour in water and process until it starts to come together.
4. Remove from processor and knead into a ball.  Wrap in plastic and set aside in the fridge to rest for 1 hour.

Now make the filling:

250g chicken thigh fillets, cut into very small dice.  Extra fat removed
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced finely
1/2 red or yellow capsicum, diced
1 tbsp. grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. tomato paste
little chicken stock or water
1½ tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander

1. Heat oil in shallow frypan and sauté onion, garlic, ginger.
2. Add chicken and stir well until sealed and mixed well together
3. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute
4. Now add the cumin and oregano and cook another minute.  You may need to add a little water now or chicken stock.
5. Add capsicum and continue to cook with the lid off for 5-8 minutes.  It should be dry but well combined and not sticking to the base of the pan.
6. Set aside to cool, add coriander just before filling.

Assembly:

1. Roll the dough out until a little thicker than you would roll puff pastry.  The pastry doesn’t rise but an empanada should have thicker pastry than say a curry puff.
2. Cut into 14cm circles and set aside, rolling out the remainder until all used.
3. Pick up one circle, add a heaped dessertspoon full of cool chicken mixture on one side
4. With your finger spread some water on half of the pastry circle and fold the top over to make a half circle.
5. Now wrap the pastry over itself along the edges which makes the lovely scrolled edge.
6. Lay on baking tray lined with baking paper and when finished put in the fridge to cool before baking.
7. Brush with beaten egg yolk before cooking
8. Bake @ 190°C + 30% steam for 20 minutes.  If you don’t wish to serve them all then freeze uncooked ones layered with baking paper in a plastic container.  Defrost at room temperature before baking then brush with egg wash.

Serve with a fresh tomato salsa made with tomatoes, red onion, chopped coriander and a seeded and finely chopped chilli.

Yum, pastry is so much better cooked in a combi steam oven 🙂