Vegetarian Empanadas

Dough

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
2. Chop the cold butter into 1 centimetre cubes, and add it to the bowl.
3. Using your fingers, make a snapping motion to "pinch" the butter into the flour mixture, taking care not to melt the butter.
4. Once butter is thoroughly mixed through the flour, add the egg and water.
5. Use your hands to knead the dough into a smooth ball. Add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky. I added about 1 tablespoon extra during this step.
6. Once the dough forms a smooth ball, stop mixing and wrap the dough ball in cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Filling

1. While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
3. Once the oil is warm, add the finely diced shallot to the pan.
4. Cook over medium for 2-3 minutes until shallot is fragrant and translucent.
5. Add 1 cup of frozen corn kernels, 1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed), and ½ of a finely diced red capsicum to the pan.
6. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is heated through and the corn is thawed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Add sliced green onions to the pan, and stir for about 1 minute until they begin to wilt. Remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool.
8. Once the filling has cooled to room temperature, stir through the shredded pepper jack cheese.

Assemble the Empanadas

1. Once the dough has cooled in the fridge for 30 minutes and the filling is prepared, you can begin to assemble the empanadas.
2. Divide the large dough ball into 16 small balls.
3. To make the empanada, use your hands to flatten the dough ball on a clean countertop or cutting board. Then, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough further, taking care to ensure that the circle is equal in thickness all around. Keep rolling until each circle is about 10-12 cm in diameter (about the size of a tea saucer or small dessert plate).
4. Use a spoon to scoop filling into the centre of the dough circle. Be careful not to overfill, adding only 2-3 tablespoons. This will ensure that your empanada can close easily and bake without bursting open.
5. Take one end of the empanada, and fold it in half over the filling. Use a fork to press down the edges and seal the empanada.
6. Once the empanadas are shaped, place them back on a plate and chill in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

Bake the Empanadas

1. While the empanadas are in the fridge, preheat the oven to 200° C (400° F).
2. Remove the empanadas from the fridge.
3. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. In the photos, I used a small baking tray, but a large one is more efficient for baking all the empanadas at once.
4. Space the empanadas evenly on the baking tray. You may need to do one batch of 12, and one batch of 4 depending on the size of your baking tray and oven.
5. In a small bowl, whisk one egg. Use a brush or paper towel to brush a thin layer of egg over the top of each empanada. This "egg wash" will create that beautiful golden brown colour when the empanadas bake.
6. Place the empanadas in the oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. You will know they are ready when they are golden on the bottom and lift easily in one piece from the baking tray.
7. Set your empanadas aside to cool slightly while you prepare the Chimichurri.

Chimichurri

1. In a food processor, combine parsley, olive oil, garlic, green chilli, red wine vinegar, salt, oregano and pepper.
2. Pulse until well-combined, leaving the sauce slightly chunky.
3. Pour the chimichurri into a small bowl and serve alongside the empanadas.
4. The empanadas are best eaten on the same day they are baked, but will last well in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, simply microwave for 2-3 minutes or pop them in the oven at 180° C (350° F) for 15 minutes.
5. You can also freeze the empanadas un-baked, and bake them when you're ready to eat. Simply prepare the empanadas up to the point before the egg wash. Once you're ready to bake them, thaw them on the counter to room temp before brushing with the egg wash and baking.