This crisp and flavourful Mexican-style tomato and prawn empanadas recipe, served with picante sauce, brings together sweet and bold flavours.
Ingredients
Prawn filling
Picante sauce
Method
1
To make dough, add flour and ½ tsp sea salt flakes to a food processor and process to combine. Add butter, egg and 80ml chilled water and pulse until mixture just comes together and resembles shaggy dough. Transfer to bench, divide mixture into two, and form two separate discs. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate and rest for 1 hour.
2
Working with one disc at a time, on a floured surface, roll out to a 5mm thick circle. Using a bowl as a guide, cut into five, 15cm-diameter rounds. Transfer to a tray, cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough; refrigerate until ready to use.
3
Meanwhile, for prawn filling, heat oil in a frying pan over low heat. Add onion, garlic, tomato, and capsicum, cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (10 minutes). Add prawn and diced tomato and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted (1-2 minutes). Transfer mixture to a bowl and allow to cool slightly (15 minutes); refrigerate for 2 hours or until cold.
4
For picante sauce, place ingredients in a bowl, season and stir to combine.
5
Place 2 tbsp filling into centre of each dough round. Fold in half, wet edges and gently press together to enclose. Pinch and fold edges inwards to make a pattern to secure. Repeat with remaining empanadas.
6
Fill a large saucepan a third full with vegetable oil and heat to 180˚C. Fry empanadas in batches, turning occasionally, until golden and pastry is cooked (4-5 minutes). Transfer to a tray lined with paper towel and keep warm. Serve empanadas with picante sauce.
John Paul Urizar
