Lamb Empanadas

This recipe satisfies all of your street food cravings: it is savoury, slightly sweet, with a hint of spice, packed in a delicate flaky shortcrust pastry. A moreish take on a Spanish classic using Indian cooking spices! Pocket foods like this are the epitome street food - you can eat them on the go or even just pack them for lunch! I absolutely love this flavour combination of spiced lamb counteracted by the sweetness of raisins - it is so simple but incredibly delicious!

I have chosen ingredients that you would most likely find in your spice cupboard, but feel free to play around with the flavours and adjust according to your taste and spice levels. They are also baked instead of fried, making them a healthier as well as being super filling!

They are actually surprisingly easy to make and you can even make a big batch! Although they are best enjoyed warm, they would also make a perfect and unique picnic treat so can be enjoyed at room temp too.

WHAT ARE EMPANADAS?

Empanadas are a Spanish or Latin-American pastry turnover filled with savoUry ingredients that are either baked or fried. 

Derived from the Spanish verb "empanar", which means "to coat or wrap in bread", the empanada is believed to originate from Spain, however several countries including Mexico, Argentina, Portugal, the Caribbean, and the Philipipines, claim empanadas as their own. But this definitely isn't a bad thing as because of this you will come across a myriad of fillings and flavours! In fact (and this is something new even I learnt today!), the Indian samosa gets its inspiration from the empanada! How's that for a fun fact?!

INGREDIENTS (makes 5):

for the filling

• 300g diced lamb (chopped into small chunks) OR lamb mince

• 1/4 cup raisins

• 1/2 red onion - finely chopped

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp turmeric

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground cloves

• 1/2 tsp coriander cumin powder

• 1/4 tsp garam masala

• 1/2 tbsp ground/chopped garlic

• 1/3 tbsp ground/chopped ginger

• 1/3 tbsp ground/chopped green chilli (optional)

• 1 tsp coconut oil

for the pastry

• 150g plain flour

• 75g unsalted butter - melted

• 1/2 egg - beaten (leave the other half to wash with)

• 3-5 tbsp water

METHOD:

1. Start by making the dough for the pastry. To do this, place the flour in a large mixing bowl then add the melted butter and half the beaten egg into this. Start combining, adding the water little by little until it forms a soft dough. Flour the work surface and knead the dough for about a minute, then place back in the bowl and cover with cling film and leave to rest.

2. In the meantime, heat oil in a saucepan then add the onion and sautee for 2-3 minutes. Next add the garlic, ginger and chilli if using, and sizzle for a further 1 minute. Add the lamb mince, salt, turmeric, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, coriander cumin powder and garam masala. Mix well until combined then cover and leave on low heat until the lamb is thoroughly cooked through, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. Once the lamb has cooked, mix in the raisins. Remove the pan from the heat and leave this to cool.

3. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees fan. Line an oven tray with greaseproof paper. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the dough to a thickness of 3-4mm. Use a 12cm/4½in cutter or a small bowl to cut out 10 discs. You will probably need to re-roll the offcuts once to get this many. TIP: Leave the cut out discs where they are as if you attempt to lift and move them they will stretch. This will mean filling about 3 before rolling out again.

4. Divide the filling between the discs. Dampen the edges of the dough with water then fold over one half of each disc to make a semicircular parcel. Press the edges together firmly then very gently crimp or press the edges with a fork.

5. Place the empanadas on the baking tray and brush with the remaining half of the beaten egg. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until golden-brown. Eat them warm on their own or with a chilli sauce.

NUTRITIONAL INFO (per empanada):

299 kcal

21.g carbs

15.5g fat

17.6g protein