Recipe: Empanadillas

As National Pie Week is almost upon us, why not try one of Demuth's delicious recipes of the popular Spanish pie.

• 225g bread flour 
• 110g medium cornmeal (fine polenta) 
• 100ml white wine
• 25g melted butter or vegan margarine
• 55ml warm milk or soya milk
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt

• 1 green pepper, sliced 
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1x400g tin chickpeas or butterbeans
• 50g pitted black olives, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• A small handful of parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper
• Olive oil or beaten egg to glaze the pastry

1. First make the dough. Mix all the dough ingredients together and form into a soft ball and knead well for a couple of minutes.
2. Leave to rest for 20 minutes, wrapped in cling film in the fridge. 
3. Heat a frying pan, add the olive oil and fry the peppers and onion for 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and smoked paprika and gently fry for 5 minutes.  Add the chickpeas, olives and chopped tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes until the mixture is dry. Add lemon juice, parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a bowl and leave to cool.  
4. Preheat the oven to 200C/180CFan/Gas 6.
5. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
6. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 8 balls and roll them into 15 cm circles. Put 2 tablespoons of the filling mix into each circle, pull up the sides into a half moon pasty shape and pinch the edges to seal.  Use a little water around the edges to help them stick if needed.
7. Brush with olive oil or egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until golden. 

For more recipes visit Demuth's website here.