- to poach chicken - make different types of pastry
Success Criteria:
- I can control temperature level to keep a liquid at a simmer. - I make an Empanada pastry dough
Chicken Empanadas
Ingredients
1 litre of water 1/2 chicken breast 1 tsp olive oil 1/2 small brown onion, finely sliced 1 clove of garlic, crushed 100g tinned tomatoes 1 bay leaf 1 pinch dried chilli flakes 1 tbsp raisins, chopped 1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tbsp chopped parsley 1/2 egg
125g flour 75g cold butter, 1/2 egg 2 tsp water
Method Process the flour and butter until crumbly. Add egg and water; process mixture until it comes together. Lightly knead dough on floured surface until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30mins.
Place water in a small pot and bring to boil. Once boiling, place chicken in and return to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, being careful it doesn't boil. Turn off after 10 mins and leave chicken in the hot liquid for a further 10 minutes before taking it out and finely shredding.
Heat oil in a frypan. Cook onion and garlic string until the onion is soft. Add tomato, bay leaf and chilli, cooking for about 5 minutes.
Add chicken, raisins, nuts and cinnamon to tomato mixture, stir in parsley. Cover and refrigerate until cooled.
Preheat oven to 200. Roll pastry between two sheets of paper until 2mm thick. Using a cup, cut 10 rounds from pastry.
Place one level tablespoon of mixture in each. Fold around to enclose, pinching edges to seal and pressing with a fork. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling.
Place on a baking tray, brush with egg and bake for approximately 20mins or until brown.
An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries of Latin America and the south of Europe. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing. The stuffing can consist of a variety of meats, vegetables, or even fruits. Empanadas have their origins in Galicia (Spain) and Portugal. They first appeared in Medieval Iberia during the time of the Moorish invasions. A cookbook published in Catalan in 1520 mentions empanadas filled with seafood among its recipes of Catalan, Italian, French, and Arabian food. It is believed that empanadas and the very similar calzones are both derived from the Arabic meat-filled pies, samosas. In Galicia and Portugal, an empanada is prepared similarly to a large pie which is cut in pieces, making it a portable and hearty meal for working people. The filling of a Galician and Portuguese empanada usually includes tuna, sardines or chorizo, but can contain codfish or pork loin. The meat or fish is commonly in a tomato, garlic and onion sauce inside the bread or pastry casing. Due to the large number of Galician immigrants in Latin America, the empanada gallega has also become popular in that region. The dish was carried to Latin America and the Philippines by Spanish colonists, where they remain very popular to this day.