Name: Chicken empanadas with mojo verde
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tbsp dried oregano; 400 gm chicken thigh mince; 1 long green chilli, finely chopped; 1 hard-boiled egg, peeled, roughly chopped; ½ cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 6 white anchovies, finely chopped; 60 gm (½ cup) pitted Sicilian olives, finely chopped; 6 sheets store bought shortcrust pastry; Vegetable oil, for deep frying; Mojo verde; 1 long green chilli, chopped; ½ cup each loosely packed flat-leaf parsley and corinader; 50 gm green pitted Sicilian olives; 60 ml each white vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil

Chicken empanadas with mojo verde

Perfect for a party, you can make a large batch of these little flavour parcels and freeze them for easy entertaining.

14 small empanadas on a white rectangular plate with mojo verde dipping sauce. Two are broken open with sauce drizzled over. — Photo: Alicia Taylor

Serves 4 - 6

Makes 18

Prep

30M

Cook

20M

Total

50M

Before the creation of Tupperware or storage containers, empanadas made the perfect easily transportable lunch for Galician workers: protein-rich, filling, and all wrapped up in pastry. Empanadas are the perfect way to make quick and tasty use of leftover vegetables and meat: if you’re time poor, just buy a few sheets of shortcrust pastry and fill at your leisure.

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp dried oregano

400 gm chicken thigh mince

1 long green chilli, finely chopped

1 hard-boiled egg, peeled, roughly chopped

½ cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

6 white anchovies, finely chopped

60 gm (½ cup) pitted Sicilian olives, finely chopped

6 sheets store bought shortcrust pastry

Vegetable oil, for deep frying

Mojo verde

1 long green chilli, chopped

½ cup each loosely packed flat-leaf parsley and corinader

50 gm green pitted Sicilian olives

60 ml each white vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil

Method

1.Heat oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add onion, garlic and oregano and cook, stirring, until golden (2-3 minutes). Add mince and cook, breaking up any lumps, until starting to colour (5 minutes).

2.Remove from heat, add chilli, egg, parsley, anchovies and olives; mix to combine. Season to taste and cool.

3.To make mojo verde, combine all ingredients in a small blender and blend until smooth; season to taste.

4.Using an 11cm-round cutter, cut 4 rounds from each pastry sheet. Place 1½ tbsp of mixture in the centre of each round. Fold to enclose, pinch edges and pleat to seal.

5.Heat vegetable oil in a deep saucepan to 180˚C. Deep-fry empanadas in batches until golden and crisp (4-5 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Serve with mojo verde.

Recipe by Jessica Brook

Styling by Steve Pearce