Empanada Dough (in a Pasta Maker)
When it comes to homemade pasta, nothing tops the Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Maker. They are easy to set up and easy to clean, with anodised aluminium rollers that resist sticking. But you can use the Marcato Atlas 150 for more than pasta. Case in point: shortcrust pastry, ideal for handheld pies like empanadas or mini pasties. (Click here for our recipe for Chilean Beef Empanadas.)
Makes enough for 45-50 empanadas or mini pies
Ingredients
200g butter
400g plain flour
280g self raising flour
18g salt
2 medium eggs
160g water
32g white vinegar
400g plain flour
280g self raising flour
18g salt
2 medium eggs
160g water
32g white vinegar
Method
- Dice the butter into cubes and place in the freezer for at least 45 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, mix both flours and salt together. Add to a food processor along with the frozen butter and blitz until it resembles breadcrumbs. (You can also work the butter into the dough by hand or with a pastry blender.)
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, water and vinegar together to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry and gently bring it all together, being careful not to overwork the dough. Shape it into a ball and wrap in clingfilm. Let it rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.
- Break off 1/4 of the dough, and leave the rest wrapped in cling film. Flatten the dough until it is thick and wide enough to pass through the Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Maker, with the rollers set to 0. (Use a rolling pin if needed.) Pass the dough through the pasta maker at 0. Fold the rolled dough in thirds, like an envelope; the exposed sides should be the same width as the machine’s rollers. Roll the dough, exposed side down, through the rollers set to 0 one more time. Then increase the setting to 1, and roll through. Do this again for setting 2, and finally, 3. Be quick, as you want the pastry to be as chilled as possible.
- On a floured work surface, place the rolled out sheet and use an 11cm pastry cutter or bowl to make rounds. Set the rounds aside on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Keep the scraps aside; you can bring them all together in the end to make another sheet. For every additional layer of finished rounds, add another sheet of parchment to the baking sheet.
- Repeat the process for the remaining empanada dough and the combined scraps until you have about 50 empanada rounds. Place the rounds in the fridge until you are ready to fill, shape, and cook them with a filling of your choice, like our classic Chilean beef empanada filling.
BK Tips
- Make the filling of your empanadas, pasties, or hand pies the day before you shape them. This helps the filling stick together.
