Linda's Chicken Empanadas ~ Making Empanada Dough ~ Step 1 and 3

How to Make

• Step 1: Place eggs, wine, and vinegar in a medium-size, non-reactive bowl, and use a whisk to break up the yolks. Set aside.

• Step 2: Place flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

• Step 3: Add butter. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, blend until pea-size pieces of butter remain in the dough, about 2 minutes.

• Step 4: Drizzle egg mixture over flour mixture, and combine with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until all the flour from the bottom of the bowl is mixed in, but the dough has not formed a solid ball, about 2 minutes.

• Step 5: Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and form into 2 round balls. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

• Step 6: Follow (Step 2) in my recipe for Chicken Empanadas to make the filling, then come back here for the Assembling Instructions.

• Step 7: Assembling Instructions: Step 3 Heat the oven to 375 degrees, and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. If you don’t have a 4 1/2 inch round cutter to make the Empanada rounds, you can use a plate of the same size and trace around the edge of the place with a knife to make the dough rounds, or cut out a 4 1/2 inch round with a piece of cardboard and use that to trace around the edge with a knife.

• Step 8: Combine egg and water in a small bowl, beat together, and set aside.

• Step 9: Remove one ball of dough from the refrigerator. Dust work surface lightly with flour, and roll the dough to 1/16 inch thickness, flouring the surface as needed to prevent sticking.

• Step 10: Using a 4 1/2 inch round cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible (you should have 4-5). Rewrap the leftover dough in plastic, and put back in the refrigerator.

• Step 11: Roll and cut out the second dough ball. Rewrap the leftover dough in plastic and refrigerate.

• Step 12: Place 2 level tablespoons of the filling in the center of each dough round. Dip your index finger into the egg wash, and trace around the edge of the round to moisten. (This helps to hold the Empanada together).

• Step 13: Place the Empanada in your hand, and fold the sides up like a taco shell. Starting at the bottom left and right sides of the Empanada, squeeze the edges together, and then continue squeezing toward the middle of the Empanada. Put each one on table as you finish them, and continue doing this with the rest of the dough rounds.

• Step 14: When done, laying the first Empanada flat on the table, press the back of a fork along the rounded edge to further seal the edge. Place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds, spacing the 8-10 Empanadas at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.

• Step 15: Brush tops with egg wash.

• Step 16: Bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and place on cookie rack while you make the rest of the Empanadas.

• Step 17: Meanwhile, remove the rest of the dough from the refrigerator, and repeat rolling (only reroll the scraps one time), making rounds, filling, sealing the edges, etc., until all of the filling is gone, and you have 8-10 more Empanadas on the second baking sheet. Remove the first batch from the oven before baking the second batch.

• Step 18: When all are baked, plate and serve while warm, or at room temperature.