Chicken Empanada

Different countries have different versions of empanada. Filipino recipe of empanada can be made of chicken, ground meat or sometimes mix of the two main ingredients. It is most likely the same as the Cuban's empanada. My Nanay loves to fry them for it will brings out the best taste and crispy look of empanada. This time I'm gonna make it with out frying but with the same recipe my mother taught me. By the way, for empanada lovers, empanada press is a great tool to make your product more appealing. Oh by the way, after I finished baking these empanadas, my husband won't stop eating them. I guess, I made it right or he's just hungry. :)

Ingredients for Filling:
350 g of chicken breast (cut into cubes)
1 medium sized potato (cut into cubes)
1 small sized carrot (diced)
1 cup of green peas
2 tablespoon of butter or 2 tablespoon of olive oil
1 medium onion
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
3 tablespoons of raisins (this can be optional)
1 cup of water or chicken broth(if available)
2 teaspoon salt (others use 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce)
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

Cooking Procedure in making the filling:

1. In a frying pan, heat the butter and saute garlic for 1 minute, then add in the onions and saute for another minute.
2. Add in the cubed chicken breast and cook until the chicken browns.
3. Add in the carrots and potato and stir-fry for 3 minutes. 
4. Pour in 1 cup of water or chicken broth and boil until all the ingredients are cooked and tender.
5. Stir in the green peas and raisins, then simmer for 3 minutes more.
6. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Make the final stir and transfer in a colander, allowing liquid to drip. Let it cool while you make the dough.

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Ingredients for Crust:

3 cups of all purpose flour (keep extra for dusting)

3/4 cup of butter

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

3-4 tablespoon of cold water

1 egg (lightly beaten, for final brushing of surface of the pastry)

Procedures in making the crust:

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar and salt).
2. Using a pastry mixer or a wooden spatula, add in the butter until mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
3. Add in the cold water, little by little while soft dough is developing.
4. On a waxed paper with sprinkled flour, put the dough and wrap.
5. Put inside the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 200 ° C for 15 minutes while you start filling the pastries.
7. Make a pastry circles with the use of rolling pin. Roll out the chilled dough on your clean working area until the dough is 3mm thick. Right thickness will prevent the dough to break while baking so avoid making it too thin.
8. Put 2 teaspoons of the filling in the middle of every pastry. 
9. Seal the pastry by joining both ends. Dip your a fork every time you use it to press the edges of the pastry.
10. Using a lightly beaten egg, brush the surface of the pastry to give a glossy look after baking.
11. Arrange the pastries on a greased baking sheets/baking tray and put 3 slits each pastry to all steam to escape while baking.
12. Bake the filled pastries for 20 minutes or until brown enough. 
13. Let it cool before serving.

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