Flaky & Buttery Empanada Dough Recipe
This versatile, buttery, and flaky empanada dough recipe is incredibly forgiving and perfect for both baking and frying. It strikes the perfect balance between a flaky pie crust and a sturdy pastry.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Pastry Blender or Fork
- Rolling Pin
- 5-inch Pastry Cutter
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients & Fat
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter ice-cold and diced into small cubes
Wet Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup ice water plus 1 ice cube to keep it cold
Instructions
- Phase 1: Prep Work. Dice your butter into small cubes and place them back in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. In a small glass, mix your water, egg yolk, and vinegar, and drop an ice cube into it to ensure it stays freezing cold.
- Phase 2: Mixing the Base. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. Drop your chilled butter cubes into the flour. Using a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingertips, quickly cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse, wet sand with pea-sized chunks of butter remaining.
- Phase 3: Hydrating and Kneading. Remove the ice cube from your liquid mixture. Drizzle the wet ingredients over the flour and butter mixture, one tablespoon at a time, tossing gently with a fork. Turn the shaggy dough out onto a clean work surface. Gently knead it just 4 or 5 times until it forms a cohesive ball. Flatten into a thick disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Phase 4: Rolling and Cutting. Once rested, unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out evenly until it is about 1/8-inch thick. Use a 5-inch or 6-inch round pastry cutter to cut out your circles. Gather the scraps, re-chill for 10 minutes, and roll them out again.
Notes
Chef's Tip: Do not pour all the liquid in at once. Flour absorbs moisture differently depending on the humidity in your kitchen. Stop adding liquid when the dough looks shaggy but holds together when you squeeze a handful of it.
Storage: Freeze unbaked discs separated by parchment paper in a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months.