Spanish Pasties 'Empanadillas'

Traditionally these mini fried pasties are filled with tuna, tomato sauce, olives and egg but you can use any cooked meat.  I used some beef mince, left over from the night before.

15 minutes preparation 

1 hour chilling

10 minutes cooking

Ingredients:

For the filling:

400g (14 oz) tuna or cooked meat of your choice such as chicken, beef, or ham, finely chopped or minced

6 tablespoons of passata (sieved tomatoes)

2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons of brandy

Half small onion, peeled and chopped

10 green pitted olives chopped (optional)

For the pastry:

400g (14 oz) plain flour

200g (7 oz) butter

Pinch of salt

200ml (6.8 fl.oz) chilled white wine

Method:

1.    First make the pastry: Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the salt.

2.    Add the butter and then rub in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3.    Add the wine a little at a time while you combine with a knife.

4.    Knead into a ball and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead briefly and put into a plastic bag.

5.    Place in the fridge for an hour.

6.    Once chilled, roll out the pastry onto a floured surface to a thickness of about ½ a centimetre. Cut into rounds of about 10cm.

7.    Mix all of the filling ingredients together.

8.    Put a spoonful of the filling into the centre of each round, dampen the edges with a little water and fold over to make half moons. Press the edges firmly together with a fork.

9.    In a small, deep pan heat enough olive oil to cover the pasties until just below smoking point. Fry the pasties in batches for a few minutes until golden all over. Drain on kitchen paper.

10. Serve hot.