Empanada
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 8 oz cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 6 tbsp ice water
- 1 lb ground beef
- 4 oz chorizo, casing removed
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 0.5 cup roasted poblano pepper, diced
- 0.5 cup green olives with pimentos, chopped
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Instructions
- Make the dough: whisk together flour, 1 tsp salt, and cumin in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or fork until mixture resembles coarse sand. Create a well, add egg yolk and 6 tbsp ice water, mixing gently until dough just comes together. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- Prepare the filling: heat 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and chorizo, breaking apart with a spoon, cooking until browned and rendered, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat, leaving about 2 tbsp in the pan.
- Build flavor: add diced onion to the meat mixture and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and jalapeño, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in roasted poblano, olives, and cilantro. Season with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
- Roll and cut: on a floured surface, divide dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a thin circle approximately 4.5 inches in diameter, about 1/8 inch thick.
- Fill and seal: place 2 tbsp cooled filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold dough in half to create a crescent, pressing edges firmly. Crimp edges with a fork to seal completely.
- Chill and prep: transfer empanadas to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes while preheating oven to 375°F. Brush each empanada with beaten egg wash.
- Bake: place baking sheet in preheated 375°F oven for 22-26 minutes, until empanadas are golden brown with crispy edges. Rotate pan halfway through cooking at 13 minutes for even browning.
- Rest and serve: cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a serving platter. Serve warm with crema, salsa verde, or jalapeño crema on the side.
Inspired by Chad Clevenger’s winning empanada. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.