Chicken Empanada

Dough Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1 cup ice water
• 2 egg yolks

Directions:

• Sift together flour, salt & sugar
• Blend butter and shortening into flour mixture with a pastry cutter, until well blended
• Whisk egg yolks with water.
• Stir water/egg mixture into flour mixture, a little a time, knead until a smooth dough is formed.
• Wrap dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

 Filling Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup raisins, soak in hot water, drain
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas, microwave for 2 minutes w/ 1 tbsp water
• 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat oil and add onions, cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt & pepper.  Cook over low heat for 20 minutes until onions are soft.
2. Remove from heat and add chicken, peas & raisins.  Cool at room temperature and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.
3. Stir chopped boiled eggs into filling mixture.
4. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and roll into smooth balls.  Let rest for 5 minutes.
5. Preheat oven  to 425 F.
6. Roll each dough into rounds 6 inches in diameter.
7. Spoon 2 tbsp of filling in the middle. Fold and press edges together firmly to seal. Crimp and pinch edges to make a braid like effect or just use fork to crimp the edges.
8. Mix egg yolk with water and brush mixture lightly and evenly over empanada.
9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.