Homemade Baked Empanada's

Tried on the streets of New York City

and tried at home

my take on a baked Empanada

Shopping in Soho New York we stumbled across this street food cart called Nuchas. We never tried an empanada before and we were pleasantly surprised!! Such a delightful treat. The experience and taste remained in our mouths and with no similar take out in South Africa, I tried to make it and to my surprise, almost got the taste exactly.
The pastry

Sift 1 cup of flour and one teaspoon of baking powder

Add quarter teaspoon of salt and about 1 tablespoon of sugar

Melt a table spoon of butter and add to mixture. Mix so that it forms a breadcrumbs texture. Add ice cold water to make dough and set aside for about 15 minutes.

The chicken filling

In a non stick pot, add about 1 -2 tablespoons of butter. Then add chopped onion and cook until it just starts to brown. Add about a teaspoon of cake flour to the mixture. 

Then add finely chopped chicken breast to the onion mixture and keep stirring to brown sides. Chicken should be about half cooked.

Add some (less than half a cup for one chicken breast) a tomato based mexican sauce (I used a Woolworths cook in sauce, You could use any fajita or enchilada sauce). Add a splash of milk. Perhaps 40-50ml or according to your taste.

Simmer until sauce thickens to a pie filling consistency

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Assembly

Knead dough once it has rested. Roll it out on a floured surface. Roll to a thickness of about 3-4mm.

Cut  circles, 10-12cm diameters. Add filling and then seal into half moon shapes. Using water to seal edges. Brush tops with milk.

Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees celcius for 20 min or until golden brown and pastry is crisp.

The above makes about 8 empanadas

Cape Malay Style Pickle Fish- South African traditional Good Friday Food

Recipe
3 Onions cut into rings
10 pieces white fish 6x4cm blocks
1 egg whisked
Cup of Cake Flour
2 Tablespoons Mazeina
Salt
Madras Curry Powder
Rajah Curry Powder
1 heaped teaspoon of tumeric
6 black pepper corn kernels
5 bay leaves
2 table spoons oil
1 cup sugar
1.5 cup vinegar
2-3 cups water

Frying the fish
The idea is to make a battered fish. Like fish and chips style.
Marinade fish with salt pepper and curry spice
Coat in whisked eggs and then dust with cake flour
Shallow fry in oil until crispy and cooke.
Set aside on paper towel while you prepare the sauce and onions

The Onion Pickle
In a deep pot, heat the two table spoons of oil
Add pepper corns and bay leaves. 
Once it starts to  sizzle add about 1 table spoon of Rajah Curry powder and 1 table spoon of Madras curry powder. Add the teaspoon of tumeric as well. 
Roast spices for about 30 sec. 
Add onions and coat with spices
Add 1 teaspoon of salt to taste
Cover and simmer for about 5 min stirring occasionally
If you prefer soft texture to onion cook for longer
Add the sugar, vinegar and water and bring to boil
Mix Mazeina in water and add to Mixture
Boil for about 20 minutes , Taste to see if you need any extra ingredients, ie salt, sugar and water.

Layer fish in a separate dish and then add pickle to it. Soak for about an hour, Serve with hot cross buns