by Anna Jones from EASY WINS: 12 flavour hits, 125 delicious recipes, 365 days of good eating (4th Estate)
Photography: Matt Russell
Years ago, I spent a few brilliant months in Argentina. Money was tight, so I lived mostly on empanadas: cheap, filling, delicious and somewhere in the territory of a punchy, chilli-spiked pasty.
In Argentina, if you’re lucky, you’ll come across an empanaderia – a bakery with glass cabinets full of empanadas. It’s been years since I walked through the doors of such a place, but at this time of year, I find myself craving flaky pastry, chilli and things eaten in hands, all of which adds up to empanadas. I dip them in chimichurri, an Argentinian-style salsa verde which is by no means traditional with empanadas but I like it. These are filled with squash, Cheddar (again not traditional, but I like the kick), herbs and quick-pickled red onions. If you can’t get your hand on the dried chillies, then 2-3 teaspoons of chipotle or ancho in adobe (jarred paste) will work in their place.
Makes 16 Empanadas
Ingredients
1kg squash (butternut or any firm squash), peeled, seeds removed and cut into 1cm cubes
2 tbsp olive oil, plus 80ml
½ bunch of fresh oregano (5g), leaves picked, or 1 tsp dried oregano
2 dried ancho chillies
500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
160g unsalted butter or vegan butter, cold and cubed
1 red onion, peeled and very finely sliced
Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
100g Cheddar or vegan Cheddar-style cheese
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
½ bunch parsley (15g), chopped
1 egg, beaten, or a few tablespoons oat milk
50-100ml cold water
Salt & black pepper
Method
Roast the squash
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Scatter 1kg peeled, deseeded and cubed squash on a roasting tray with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the leaves from a couple of sprigs of fresh or ½ tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper, and roast for 25-30 minutes, until soft and slightly caramelised. Set aside to cool. Turn down the oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 6½.
Soak the chillies
Put 2 dried ancho chillies into a wide-based bowl or a heatproof measuring jug with 100ml boiling water and leave to sit and soften for 5 minutes. Once soft, remove the stalks and deseed if you like things less spicy. Then finely chop 1 of the chillies and keep the other aside for the chimichurri.
Make the pastry
While the squash is cooking, make the dough. Put 500g plain flour, a good pinch of salt and 160g cold cubed butter in a food processor and blitz until it resembles breadcrumbs (you can do this by hand in a bowl using the rubbing method too). Add 80ml olive oil and blitz until the mixture has the texture of sand, then add 50-100ml ice cold water, a little at a time, until it comes together into a dough. Tip out on to a clean work surface, and gently knead until it is smooth, then shape into a disc, cover with a clean tea towel and chill in the fridge for an hour.
Pickle the onion
Put 1 peeled and very finely sliced red onion and the zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon into a bowl, then scrunch it all together with your hands until the onion starts to turn pink. Add the chopped soaked chilli, crumble in 70g Cheddar or vegan Cheddar-style cheese, add 1-2 finely chopped green chillies, 15g chopped parsley and the remaining sprigs of fresh, or ½ tsp dried, oregano and season. Add the squash and mix until combined.
Make the empanadas
Line two baking trays with baking paper. Cut the pastry into two (putting half back into the fridge while you roll out the first batch of dough) and on a lightly floured surface roll it out to a thickness of a 50p piece. Use a 10cm cutter (or a bowl this width) to cut out 6 rounds (you will have 16 in total), then place a heaped tablespoon of the filling in the centre of each. Brush one side of the pastry with beaten egg or oat milk, then fold the other side over. Press down the edges with a fork, to stick them together neatly. Repeat this process with the other half of the pastry so you have 16 in total.
Lay the empanadas on the tray, brush the tops with egg wash or oat milk and grate over 30g Cheddar. Grind over the remaining black pepper, then bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving with a dollop of chimichurri.
Smoked Ancho Chimichurri
As well as being the perfect accompaniment for empanadas, chimichurri is also great as a dressing for roast veg or as a topping for a bowl of polenta or lentils.
Makes 1 small bowlful
Ingredients
a bunch of flat-leaf parsley (30g), finely chopped
½ a bunch of oregano (10g), leaves picked and finely chopped
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 dried ancho chillies, soaked, deseeded and finely chopped or a good pinch of dried chilli flakes
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together to form a silky, herby sauce. Taste, adjust the seasoning if needed, and serve. This can be kept in a jar in the fridge for up to one week.
Drinks tasted on air, alongside the dish
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