Pastechi Karni (Aruban Meat Empanadas)

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
900g (7 1/2 cups/2 lbs) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
300g (1 1/2 cups) cold unsalted butter chopped
3 eggs, beaten
360ml (1 1/2 cups) cold water

For the Filling:
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
675g (1 ½ lbs) minced (ground) turkey or beef
95g (2/3 cup) frozen carrots and peas, defrosted
1 tbsp capers
2 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp mustard
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp Sambal Olek
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

For the dough, sift together the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and using a pastry blender, fork, cut the butter into the flour until it is the size of small peas. Add the egg and mix with a spoon. Add cold water a little at a time and mix. Start kneading by hand until the ingredients come together as a ball of dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm (plastic wrap) then chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

The filling, heat oil in a pan, then add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Fry until everything softened and onions are translucent (about 6 minutes). Add the meat and cook until meat is cooked through (about 5 minutes).

Now stir in the carrots and peas along with the capers and raisins. Cook for 3 minutes, until the vegetables are heated through. Stir in the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and sambal then continue cooking for 5 minutes.

At this point, add eggs and stir to combine then adjust the seasonings to taste. Take off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Once the filling has chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide into two equal halves. Leave the other half refrigerated while you work with the first half.

Turn the dough onto a lightly-floured board or work surface then roll out as thinly as possible without the dough breaking. Using a 12cm (4 ½ in) biscuit (cookie) cutter, stamp out circles. Place about 1 1/2 tbsp of filling on each circle. Brush the perimeter with milk. Fold over and seal, using the tines of a fork. Place on grease or lined baking tray. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

Heat enough oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot, fry the empanadas until golden brown on all sides.

Alternately, you can bake them. Pre-heat your oven to 200°C (400F). Once hot brush the tops of the empanadas with milk, then transfer the baking tray to the centre of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with ketchup, mustard and chilli paste.