Description
Goan Empadinhas are the perfect Portuguese-influenced finger food with a crispy outer shell and a spicy and savoury pork filling. These Empadinhas will add a burst of culture and flavour to your table!
Ingredients
For the Shortcrust Pastry
- 450 Grams/ 4 cups of All-Purpose Flour
- 5 grams/2 tsp Powdered Sugar
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 225 gram/1 cup Unsalted Butter, frozen
- 4 Egg Yolks
- 6 tbsp Water, ice-cold
For the Filling
- 3 tbsp Oil
- 1 ½ /3 cups Red Onions, finely chopped
- 5 Cloves
- 2” Stick Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
- 1/2 tbsp Ginger Paste
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 ½ tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1/4 tsp Pepper Powder
- 500 gms Pork Tenderloin, lean, finely chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp Sugar
- ¼ cup/4 tbsp Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Port Wine (Optional)
- 2 Tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped
For the Egg Wash
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 tbsp Milk
For the Garnish
- ½ tsp White Sesame Seeds
- ½ tsp Black Sesame Seeds
Method
For the Shortcrust Pastry
- Place the flour, sugar and salt in a chilled bowl. Whisk the ingredients together so that the dry ingredients get well combined.
- Grate the butter and add it to the flour mix. Using your fingers, gently combine the butter with the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs or sand. Don’t overwork the mixing process.
- Add the egg yolks to a small bowl and add about a tablespoon of water. Beat the egg yolks till they loosen up. Now toss the egg yolks into the flour and butter mixture and mix it together.
- Add tablespoons of ice water, one at a time, till the dough is brought together.
- Shape the dough into a round shape and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the dough to relax and firm up.
For the Filling
- In a deep non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and once the onions start to turn translucent, toss in the cloves and cinnamon stick and continue sauteing.
- Now add the ginger and garlic pastes and a little salt and saute till the onions get a golden brown colour.
- To this, add the turmeric powder, kashmiri chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala and pepper powder
- Saute all the spices with the onions till the spices mix well and lose their raw flavour.
- Now add the finely chopped pork, and season with salt, sugar and vinegar. Give it a good mix so that the pork gets well coated with the spices.
- To take it up a notch, add your favourite Port wine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the pork is tender and the liquid has evaporated but the mixture is still moist. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and set aside in a bowl to cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 350F or 180˚C.
- Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and cut into 2 halves (allow the dough to soften slightly if it has become too hard).
- Working with one half at a time, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry about 3 mm thick.
- Using a 5” cookie cutter cut out big rounds for the bottom and using a 2 ¾” cookie cutter cut out smaller rounds for the top.
- In a muffin tray, place the big rounds at the bottom of each muffin cup. Press it down and against the sides of the muffin cup making sure that the dough comes about 3/4 inch above the cup.
- Fill the lined cup with approximately two tablespoons of the pork filling and then place the smaller round cutout dough on the top.
- To seal the empadinha, start crimping the raised dough and then gently fold it down to seal. The pastry is very delicate so don’t press too hard.
- Repeat the process to make more empadinhas till you finish the remaining pastry and filling.
- In a small bowl, make the egg wash by beating up an egg yolk and milk.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the tops with the egg wash. Using a fork press in some holes on the top so that the steam gets a chance to release during baking.
- Garnish the empadinhas with some white and black sesame seeds.
- Place the empadinhas on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and serve warm.
