Smoked Trout and Potato Empanadas

  

       Tall and tan and young and lovely, the girl from Empanada goes walking

       And when she passes, each one she passes goes, ah. 

What? It's "The girl from Ipanema"?     Dang!

Thanks to Goulburn River Trout and Seafood Industry Victoria for providing me with the delicious Hot Smoked Trout. I couldn't have done it without you.



Smoked Trout and Potato Empanadas
adapted from Karen Martini's Everyday
Makes 8

For the Dough:
225g "00" flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
100ml water
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1 egg yolk, plus an extra yolk whisked with 1 teaspoon water for brushing
25g lard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika for sprinkling

For the Filling:
2 desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm dice and boiled until tender, drained and kept warm
100g hot smoked trout, shredded
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon chopped picked jalapenos
juice 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Sea salt flakes
Black pepper

Make the Dough:
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the lard and rub with your fingertips until it is evenly incorporated.

Mix the water, vinegar and egg yolk in a cup. Add it to the flour mixture and stir with a fork until it comes together. Bring the mixture together with your hands. Turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until it is a smooth dough. Roll into a ball, cover with cling wrap and leave to rest in the fridge fro 30 minutes.

Make the Filling:
Combine all he filling ingredients in a large bowl.

Make the Empanadas:
Preheat the oven to 200C (fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.

Divide the dough into eight even portions. Roll each portion into a ball and, on a light floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll each ball out into a 12cm or so diameter circle.

Put a spoonful of filling into the centre of each circle of dough. Fold the dough over the filling to create a semi-circle, press the edges together firmly. I used a pastry cutter to cut off the excess dough.

Lay the empanadas onto the prepared baking tray and brush with the egg yolk that has been whisked with a teaspoon of water.

Lay some thin strips of  baking over the empanadas and sprinkle the smoked paprika over to create a striped effect.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and cooked.