Estancia Empanadas#

Makes 12 empanadas Time 4-5 hours (mostly resting)

Recipe from the women at Estancia Pampa Grande where my wife and I went on our honeymoon. This is just the dough—filling recipe to come later.

Ingredients#

Directions#

Step 1 - Make Mound & Add Hot Fat#

Mix flour and salt. Make a mound with a crater in the center. Heat the lard or tallow until hot, then pour into the crater. Add a few tablespoons of water.

Mound with hot fat at Estancia

My mound with hot lard

Step 2 - Knead#

Knock in the crater with fingers to slowly mix the flour, fat, and water. Add water by the tablespoon as needed while kneading by hand until dough is smooth.

Kneaded dough

Step 3 - Rest#

Divide into 2-3 equal balls, cover and rest for 3 hours (at least 1 hour).

Dough balls ready to roll

Step 4 - Roll & Fill#

Preheat oven to 500°F. If you have a 4" circular cutter, roll out each ball into a sheet about 1/4" thin or thinner, then cut circles. If you don’t have a circular cutter (like me), divide dough into 12 pieces and roll each out.

Add filling of your choice and pinch closed.

Pinching technique

Ready to bake at Estancia

My empanadas ready to bake

Step 5 - Bake#

Bake on sheet with parchment at 500°F for about 12 minutes. Turn tray after 4 minutes, flip empanadas after another 4 minutes.

Final baked empanadas

Notes#

• Should egg wash next time for a glossier finish.