Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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Chicken-Potato Empanadas
From Chef Lesli Sommerdorf for Harmons
Makes about 20
Ingredients
Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 -1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2- inch cubes
About 1/2 cup ice water
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Filling:
2 cups peeled and medium-dice Russet potatoes
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound dark, ground chicken
1 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup diced green olives
1/3 cup capers
1/3 cup currants
2 eggs
Instructions:
To make the dough, in a food processor with the blade attachment, add the flour, sugar and salt and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until coarse meal forms. Add 8 tablespoons ice water and cider vinegar; blend until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonful’s if dough is dry.
Gather dough together. Turn out onto work surface; divide dough in half. Form each half into ball and flatten into disk. Wrap disks separately in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
To make the filling, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until just tender, 5-10 minutes. Drain.
In a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 4-5 minutes. Add the onion, paprika and cumin and cook until the onions are translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the broth, scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release the browned bits, and cook until the broth is reduced by half. Stir in the cooked potatoes and chicken broth, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes more.
Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, olives and capers. Transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.
To assemble, lightly flour a clean, large work surface and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 4-inch-round pastry-cutting mold, cut circles in the dough.
Gather the dough scraps and form into a ball again. Roll out the dough and cut more circles.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the 2 eggs in a small bowl. Take 1 circle and place 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling in the center. Brush the edges of the dough with the beaten egg. Fold the circle in half to form a half moon and seal the edges together with a fork or pinch with your fingers, removing any air pockets. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough circles, spacing the formed empanadas a few inches apart.
Chill the empanadas for 20 minutes before baking. Meanwhile, arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat to 375 degrees.
Place the empanadas in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the sheets front to back and top to bottom, and continue baking until the empanadas are golden brown, about 10 minutes more.
