Recipe: Chicken Empanadas (Cuban Pastries)

CHICKEN EMPANADAS (CUBAN PASTRIES)
Jorge: "Many Cuban families make empanadas for special occasions like birthdays, baptisms, and holidays - any occasion that would have a party associated with it." Raul: "Seems like everybody in Miami has a different empanada recipe!" Glenn: "Some are baked and some are fried." Jorge: "There s also several different types, each a little bit different Cuban, Colombian, Argentinean, Nicaraguan." Raul: "And the fillings! There are many, many things you can put in an empanada!"


FOR THE DOUGH:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons lard
2 tablespoons butter
1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup cold water (more or less, to bring dough to proper consistency)

FOR THE EMPANADAS:
Filling for Chicken Empanadas (recipe follows)

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
Sift the flour with salt, baking powder, and sugar. Place half of the flour in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. Place the lard, butter, eggs, and water in the well. Use an electric or stand mixer to mix ingredients into a paste. Continue to mix, gradually adding more flour until all of the flour is added. You may need to add water - slowly and in small quantities - until the dough reaches a soft, pliable consistency, like pie dough. Place the dough in a bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

MEANWHILE, PREPARE THE FILLING:
(Chicken Empanadas recipe follows).

TO MAKE THE EMPANADAS:
Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough into 4 pieces (keep the pieces you aren t using in the refrigerator until you need them); use a floured rolling pin to roll out the dough about 1/8-inch thick. Cut the dough into a large, rough circle. (Don t worry about making a perfect circle. You will trim the dough in the following steps.) Put some filling in the center of the circle and fold over to make a half circle. Don t over-fill! Use a pizza wheel to trim away the excess dough and make a nice half- moon shape. Seal the edges of the dough with your fingers to make a scalloped edge.

CHOOSE A FRYING METHOD:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAN FRYING:
In a large frying pan, add enough vegetable oil to cover the empanadas completely. Heat the oil to the frying stage, about 360 to 375 degrees F. Fry the empanadas in the oil, turning occasionally until brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels and serve hot!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR DEEP-FAT FRYING:
Heat the oil to 375 degrees F. Place a single layer of empanadas in the fryer basket, drop in hot oil, and cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown. Be careful not to overcook. Follow the manufacturer s instructions for your deep fat fryer. Drain on paper towels and serve hot!

EMPANADAS DE POLO (CHICKEN EMPANADAS)

1 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in
1 bay leaf
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

Saute the onion over medium heat in 2 tablespoons olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic and cook an additional minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place chicken, bay leaf, chicken broth, wine, salt, and pepper in a 3-quart saucepan. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken and allow it to cool. Strain and save the broth.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, skin and de-bone. Finely shred the meat. Place the cooked chicken in a 3-quart saucepan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir in the onion/garlic mixture, and gradually add the flour. Stir in 1/4 cup of the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Use enough cornstarch mixed with water to make the filling thick and moist, but not runny.

Put some filling in the center of each circle of dough, trim away excess dough, seal, and cook as indicated in the baked or fried recipe.

Servings 4 to 8 (makes 6 to 8 medium emponadas)
Source: Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban by Glenn M. Lindgren, Raul Musibay and Jorge Castillo