Baked Empanadas

I adapted this recipe from my friend, Angela, who makes the best empanadas.  These delicious hand pies can be made with so many different types of fillings.  There are classic savory fillings and sweet dessert fillings.  You can swap the pork for chicken or beef, or simply use the ingredients you have available in your refrigerator.

Ingredients:  

Filling:
250g 1 Tbsp 1 tsp 1 tsp 1 tsp 230g ½ 1 Tbsp 1 2 90g ¼ tsp ¼ tsp 1-2 tsps	Ground pork Light soy sauce Oyster sauce Brown sugar Corn starch Red potatoes (diced) White onion (diced) Minced garlic Carrot stick (minced or shredded) Medium size tomatoes (diced) Green peas Dried oregano (crushed) Salt Fish sauce
Dough:
250g 8 oz 200g 1	All-purpose flour Cream cheese (softened) Unsalted butter (softened) (a little less than 2 sticks) Egg, lightly beaten (for egg wash only)

Directions – for filling:

1. Prepare all ingredients — dice potatoes, carrots, onion and tomatoes.  (picture 1)  Marinate ground pork with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar and corn starch, set aside.
2. Heat 2 Tbsps of oil in a large skillet over high heat, add 2 gloves of garlic and cook until aromatic.  Now add diced potatoes, pan fry until slightly brown.  Add water and cover to simmer until water evaporated.  Set aside.  (picture 2)
3. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and garlic, cook until tender (picture 3).  Add ground pork and stir well.  Breaking up the meat with a turner or wooden spoon, cook meat until brown.  (picture 4)
4. Add carrot and tomatoes and keep stirring.  Cook for about 5 minutes (add a few tablespoons of water if necessary) (picture 5).  Return potatoes to the pan and add green peas, stir until all ingredients are combined (picture 6).  Add oregano, ½ tsp of salt and 1 tsp of fish sauce (add more if necessary).
5. Allow the mixture to cool thoroughly before filling in the dough.

Directions – for Dough:

1. Cream butter and cream cheese together until smoothly blended (picture 1).
2. Beat in the flour until just combined (picture 2).
3. Shape dough into 2 smooth balls, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for an hour or overnight (picture 3).

Assemble the Empanadas:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Remove dough from refrigerator and work on a lightly floured work surface.
3. Roll chilled dough thin, cut with a 3 or 4 inch round cookie cutter.  (picture 1)
4. Place a proportional amount of filling in the center of the dough circle (about 1 tablespoon full).  (picture 2)
5. Fold 1 side over so that the edges meet, press to seal.  To braid the edges of empanadas, start at one corner of the empanada with your thumb and index finger, fold the seal edge down over itself (press down and seal), and repeat this step until you reach the other end.  (picture 3)
6. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, brush tops with egg wash.  (picture 4)

• Bake for 30-40 minutes.