King Salmon Empanadas (Colectivo Felix)

Recipe provided by:

Colectivo Felix

Argentine style empanadas featuring the bounty of Central Coast California - offering weekly delivery to the Santa Cruz area. Visit Website

Prep Time: 1.5 hours
Makes approximately: 15 empanadas

Ingredients

Dough
3 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick of butter
2 eggs, 1 egg whisked separately
¼ to ½ cup of water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Filling
1 lb of King Salmon, chopped in large cubes
1 yellow onion
1 fennel bulb
2 celery stalks
1 medium potato
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup peeled garlic - minced
1 small sprig of rosemary
splash of olive oil

Preparation

Prepare Dough
Mix the flour and salt in a food processor.
Add the butter and pulse.

Add the egg, oil and slowly add the water and continue pulsing until a clumpy dough forms.

With your hands, make the dough into a smooth, soft ball. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas (use round molds or a round lid, ideally 4.5 - 5 inches in diameter).

OR - make small individual balls with the dough and roll out to a round shape with a rolling pin.

Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator/freezer to use later.

Prepare Filling
Small dice the onions, fennel, celery and potato. Put a saute pan on high heat, add some olive oil and saute until golden, approximately 5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and the spices, lower the heat until the veggies are all tender.

Add the chopped salmon and cook for 5 minutes on low heat with a lid. After fish is cooked, stir with a wooden spoon, fish will easily break apart into smaller pieces perfect for an empanada filling!

Chill the filling by spreading it out evenly on a baking sheet and putting in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before making the empanadas.

Making the Empanadas

To make the empanadas, place a spoonful of the filling on the middle of each empanada disc. The amount of filling will vary based on the size of the empanada, but in general, it will be a large spoonful.

To seal the empanadas, dip your finger in a little bit of water and run along the edges of the round dough. Fold the disc in half and seal the edges by pressing the dough with your fingers. You can also use a fork to help seal the edges, just press the top of the fork against the edges.

To make an Argentine style ‘repulgue’, use your fingers to twist or curl the edges.

Brush the empanadas with the whisked egg. Refrigerate empanadas for at least 30 minutes before baking.

Bake the empanadas in a 400F oven for about 10-15 minutes. The empanadas will be ready once they are golden.