A city in northern Argentina, Famaillá is also referred to as that country's empanada capital; a well-deserved title since an annual empanada festival is held here. Don't be put off by the long ingredient list for the filling, it's an easy recipe (taken from Nick Malgieri's "Pastry Perfection").
Makes 6 (18 cm) empanadas
Ingredients (part 1)
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 sachet grounded Bouquet garni (or 2 small stalks celery, 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, 1 large bay leaf, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together).
Put the chicken in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Add the salt and bouquet garni and bring to simmer. Cook at an active simmer for 20 minutes, skimming the foam as it rises to the surface, then let the chicken cool in the stock.
Drain the chicken and cut into 1,25 cm dice. Discard bouquet garni sachet. Reserve 60 ml of stock.
Ingredients (Part 2):
1 batch Yeast-risen dough for Empanadas
cooked and diced chicken thighs and reserved 60 ml chicken stock
1 small all-rounder or waxy potato, boiled and finely diced
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp Spanish paprika (pimentón)
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano leaves or crumbled dry leaves
30 g coarsely chopped green olives
35 g raisins or sultanas
1 medium hard-boiled egg, chopped
20 g finely chopped onion**
**I omitted the onion
Egg wash: half egg whisked with a pinch of salt.
Method:
Put together chicken, potato, olives, egg, raisins, add the reserved stock and sprinkle on the cumin, oregano and paprika.***If you are adding onions, cook them with 1 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat until soft, before mixing into the filling.
Mix well, and leave to cool if the filling is hot.
Divide the dough into the 6 pieces and shape each into a flat disc.
Roll each piece of dough into 20 cm disk and chill if you are not going to assemble empanadas immediately.
Divide the filling equally into 6 parts among the dough rounds, mounding it slightly off the centre of each one.
Fold the dough over to make a fat crescent-shaped pasty. To seal the edges press them together with a fingertip, then fold and overlap it, pressing down with the other hand's fingers.
Set a rack in the lowed third of the oven and preheat to 200 C.
Arrange the empanadas on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Brush them with the egg wash.
Place the tin in the oven, reduce the temperature to 190 C and bake for 20-25 minutes until deep golden.
Cool the empanadas briefly on the tray on a rack and serve warm.
Enjoy your food! Bon Appetit!
