PICADILLO EMPANADAS

MAKES 12 SMALL EMPANADAS

THESE HANDHELD MEAT PASTRIES have a lot going for them, but before I sing their praises, this is most definitely a recipe I’d love for you to adapt and make your own. Picadillo is a regional dish in many Latin American countries, made with ground meat, tomatoes, sometimes olives or capers, occasionally raisins or peppers—it depends on where you live and who’s cooking. It’s often served with rice or used as a filling for tacos or savory empanadas, which is what I especially love. If there’s an ingredient you don’t care for here, leave it out. If you are looking to use up some dried fruits or nuts, toss them in. Extra olives? Great. The crust recipe is one of my favorites, too, as it can be sweet or savory, so you can always make a double batch and freeze half for later.

PASTRY

2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) vegan butter, sliced and thoroughly chilled

¼ cup unsweetened plain almond milk, very cold

FILLING

3 tablespoons safflower oil

1 pound Fennel and Garlic Sausage (here) or Field Roast Italian Sausage, crumbled

1 yellow onion, ¼-inch diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 very ripe tomato, ¼-inch diced

⅔ cup green olives, chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

¼ cup raisins

OPTIONAL GLAZE

¼ cup safflower oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1. First, prepare the pastry: In a food processor, combine the flour and salt and blend together. Add the chunks of vegan butter and pulse until they become the size of small peas. Add the milk and pulse a few times until the dough starts to come together, but is still loose. Turn out the contents of the food processor onto a floured board. Bring the dough together by lightly working it with your hand.

2. The crust will still be a little crumbly, but divide into two equal parts and transfer to a resealable bag or plastic wrap. Wrap each piece together tightly in a disk shape and transfer to the fridge to chill for 1½ hours.

3. Prepare the filling: In a skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and add the crumbled sausage. Lightly brown the sausage, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. Return the pan to medium heat and add the onion, garlic, chili powder, bay leaves, remaining tablespoon of oil, and the salt. Cook this mixture, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.

4. Add the remaining ingredients, including the sausage, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the mixture and adjust for salt. Remove from the heat and cool the mixture in the fridge for 2 hours.

5. Remove the dough from the fridge and let sit on the counter for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into 2-inch pieces and roll into balls.

6. On a floured surface, roll out the balls into flat circles. Fill half of each circle with a little less than ¼ cup of filling. Fold the clean half over the filling and crimp the dough where it meets the other side, using a fork.

7. Chill the stuffed empanadas in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

8. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F.

9. Place the empanadas on a parchment paper–lined sheet pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. For a nice sheen, combine ¼ cup oil with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in a blender. Brush this on the empanadas about halfway through the baking process.

CHEF’S NOTE: While we don’t use a traditional egg wash in our baking, you can still get that nice golden sheen on the top of your pastry by brushing on a mixture of oil and cornstarch about halfway through the baking process.