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Ingredients
Chimichurri
Method
Main
1.For dough, warm fat and 180ml water in a small saucepan until fat melts. Mix flour, baking powder and 1½ tsp fine sea salt in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add fat mixture and knead until dough comes together (2-3 minutes). Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill (1 hour).
2.Preheat oven to 170C and line a baking tray with foil. Split chorizo lengthways and roast on tray until just cooked through (10-15 minutes). Cool on tray (10 minutes), then chop into 1cm dice, reserving juices. Increase oven to 250C. Spread beef on a baking tray lined with foil and roast until lightly caramelised (8-10 minutes). Cool for 10 minutes.
3.Heat olive oil in a saucepan over high heat, add onion and capsicum and fry until starting to brown, then reduce heat to low and sauté until tender (8-10 minutes).
4.Combine peas, guindillas, spring onion and spices in a bowl, add chorizo, pan juices and beef, season to taste and refrigerate to cool mixture completely (30-40 minutes).
5.Divide dough into 18 pieces and roll out to 12cm rounds. Place a tablespoonful of beef mixture on the centre of each, lightly moisten edges with water and fold pastry over filling to form a half moon. Starting at a corner, squash a small section of pastry, lightly stretch it out and fold over, then repeat along edge to create a rope effect, folding last piece of seam under. Place empanadas on lightly floured trays and cover with a tea towel.
6.For chimichurri, pound chilli and garlic with a mortar and pestle to a paste, then mix in remaining ingredients, 2 tsp sea salt flakes and 2 tsp cracked black pepper.
7.Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 180C. Deep-fry empanadas in batches until golden and crisp (3-5 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, then serve with chimichurri.
Pickled guindilla chillies are available from Spanish food stores.
Notes
