Empanadas

Submitted by: Tammy Reese of Farm and Dairy

Ingredients for the dough:

• 3 cups flour or gluten free flour blend (plus a little more for kneading)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 3 tablespoons shortening

Ingredients for the filling:

• Oil enough to fill deep fryer or enough to have 3 inches of oil in a stock pot.
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno, finely diced, seeded and ribs removed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded then diced cooked chicken breasts.
• 1 cup shredded Monterey and Cheddar cheese blend
• 4 ounces cream cheese, diced
• Dash of hot sauce
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder

Ingredients for the Chili Lime Dipping Sauce:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 chipotle pepper (canned in adobo sauce), minced
• Juice and zest of 1 lime

Directions for the dough:

1. In a bowl, beat the water, egg, egg white and vinegar together. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the 3 cups of flour and salt.
3. Cut the shortening into the flour mix with a pastry blender or two butter knives. Make a well in the center of the flour mix and pour the liquid ingredients from the first bowl into the center.
4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients with a fork until it becomes stiff.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it just until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth.
6. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but never more than 24 hours.

Directions for the empanadas:

1. Preheat the deep frier or oil in a pan to 375 degrees F.
2. Place a large saute pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, jalapeño, garlic, green onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cheese, cream cheese, sauteed mixture and hot sauce together.
4. Whisk the egg in a small bowl. Set aside. Sprinkle flour on your work surface and unroll the dough.
5. Roll out each round to a 13-inch circle. Cut each crust into 8 (4-inch) circles with a biscuit cutter. You can knead the scraps and then roll out, if necessary.
6. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture into the center of each round.
7. Brush the edges with the egg wash and fold each circle in half. Gently press on the top of the empanada to release any air. Seal the edges with a fork and brush the top with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with chile powder.
8. Place each empanada into the oil.  Cook them in batches to ensure that you do not overcrowd them.  The crust will be golden brown when finished (about 4 – 6 minutes).

Directions for the Chili Lime Dipping Sauce:

1. Combine the yogurt, chipotle and lime zest and juice in a bowl.
2. Serve the chicken empanadas with the Chili Lime Dipping Sauce.