Chicken Empanadas

These are a favorite of the Count - he'd have them every week if he could. We both fell in love with empanads while studying abroad in Chile. In Chile, empanadas generally come in two types, Cheese or meat with raisins, a hard boiled egg, and a couple of whole olives (thankfully those could easily be removed). In looking for a slightly healthier version, I found these a few years ago and they've been in the rotation ever since.

This recipe is for appetizer size, but I make four or five large ones and have some for dinner and stick the extra in the freezer. The filling recipe is courtesy of Martha Stewart and the dough is photo copied from an obscure cook book of my dad's so I can't quote the source (sorry whoever you are), but it is a very authentic dough (at least for Chile) compared to many I've tried out there.

CHICKEN AND CORN EMPANADAS

1/4 cup olive oil (I usually use less)
1 1/2 cups finely-chopped white onion
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 cup finely-chopped red bell pepper
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels - 5 small ears (This is a Martha recipe, so the rest of us just use frozen corn, defrosted)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thigh meat, cut 1/4" pieces
2 Tbs dry white wine
Coarse salt, to taste
6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 large egg, lightly beaten with
1 Tbs water


=== EMPANADA DOUGH ===
2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs vegetable shortening

1 egg yolk

3-4 Tbs ice water

Make the Empanada Dough: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add lard and butter, and pulse until it is the texture of coarse meal. With the processor running, slowly add enough water to form a firm dough. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface, and knead until the dough comes together and is smooth. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour (I've skipped this step when I am in a hurry, but it does make rolling the dough a bit tougher).

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red-pepper flakes, and oregano. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Season with salt. Cook for 1 minute. Add red and green peppers and corn. Cook until the peppers soften and any liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes.

To the same pan, add the chicken, wine, and salt. Cook until chicken is just cooked through and almost all liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Refrigerate filling until chilled; stir in cheese. The filling may be prepared and refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days.

Fill a small bowl with cold water. Roll out dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 5-inch plate as a template, cut out 24 circles. Spoon about 1/4 cup chilled filling into the center of a circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush border with cold water. Fold the dough over, stretching it slightly, to form a half-moon shape. Beginning at one end, press the edges together to seal, while trying to remove any air pockets. Press again to ensure that empanadas are well sealed. Using a fork or your fingers, crimp the edges to form a decorative edge. Repeat with remaining circles.
Brush the empanadas with egg wash, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (I've skipped this step too, and they've been great) but no longer than 1 day. (Once filled, the empanadas may be frozen and baked later, without defrosting, in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange empanadas on baking sheets. Bake until puffed and browned, and filling is bubbling inside, 15 to 20 minutes (or a bit longer if you are making the large versions). Serve immediately.
This recipe yields small 24 empanadas or 4-6 large ones.