Turkey Empanadas with Cranberry Relish
Ali Clarke and Santos Loo
October 7, 2022
Empanadas are best known as a grab-and-go breakfast, lunch, or even snack made with flaky, homemade dough wrapped around any combination of meat or veggies, spices, and herbs. In this recipe, we dress up turkey empanadas to make the perfect holiday appetizer. They’re paired with an easy cranberry relish to bring Thanksgiving flavors to the dish, although you really can make these any time of year. The Anova Precision Oven perfectly bakes the tops and bottoms of these empanadas for a golden brown, flaky, and slightly crisp crust with a warm, moist interior.
Notes: The dough can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 6 months tightly wrapped in plastic.
You can also make the empanadas in advance. After brushing the empanadas with the egg wash, place the sheet tray in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Once the empanadas are individually frozen, place in a zipper-lock bag, removing excess air, and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake the empanadas from frozen on the same settings, adding an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
If making empanadas for a crowd, this recipe is easily doubled; just make sure to divide the dough into 2 disks before refrigerating.
This recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Serves
8
Prep Time
01:30
Cook Time
00:20
0
81
Ingredients
For the Dough
2 cups (240g)
all-purpose flour
1 tsp
kosher salt
½ tsp
pumpkin pie spice (optional)
6 Tbsp
cold, unsalted butter, cut into quarters lengthwise and then into ¼-inch cubes
¼ cup
plus up to 2 tablespoons cold water, divided, plus more if needed
½ tsp
distilled white vinegar
1 large
egg
For the Filling
3 Tbsp
extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ cup
finely chopped yellow onion
¼ cup
packed Italian parsley leaves, roughly chopped
6 cloves
garlic, minced
8 oz (227g)
ground turkey (dark meat preferred)
1.5 tsp
kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp
paprika
1 tsp
dry mustard
¼ tsp
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (4 oz)
frozen vegetable medley, thawed
For the Cranberry Relish
1 cup (4 oz)
frozen whole cranberries, thawed
¼ cup
extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp
finely chopped Italian parsley
2 Tbsp
light agave syrup or honey
2 tsp
apple cider vinegar
1 tsp
kosher salt
½ tsp
red pepper flakes
⅛ tsp
freshly ground black pepper
Steps
1. Make the Empanada Dough
Add the flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter, breaking it up evenly. Pulse again until the butter and flour are evenly combined and the butter looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
Combine ¼ cup cold water and the vinegar in a liquid measuring cup and, with the motor running, slowly stream in the liquid until the dough just begins to come together; the dough will still have a slightly dry, shaggy texture and won’t completely form a ball, but it will hold together when pinched.
If the dough is still dry, you can add 1 teaspoon of additional water at a time until it comes together.
2. Form the Dough
Lay a sheet of plastic wrap onto a clean work surface and turn the dough out onto the plastic. Use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball and then flatten it into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap completely in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
3. Cook the Filling
Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and parsley and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent but not yet browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Next, stir in the ground turkey, breaking the meat up into small pieces. Sprinkle the salt, paprika, mustard, and pepper over the top and stir to evenly coat. Spread the meat in an even layer on the bottom of the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about about 6 minutes.
Stir in the thawed vegetables and cook until heated through, about 1 more minute. Season to taste with more salt.
4. Cool the Filling
Transfer the filling to a bowl and let cool completely at room temperature, at least 30 minutes. You can then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
5. Roll the Dough
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit for about 10 minutes to soften slightly. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll the dough into an 1/8-inch-thick round, rotating a quarter turn after each roll to ensure even thickness. Use a 4 1/2-inch round cutter or a glass to cut the dough into rounds.
If you can only find a 4-inch cutter, lightly place that on the dough, without cutting it, and then use a paring knife to cut about 1/2 inch around the outer edge, using the cutter as a guide. Gently remove the excess dough and transfer the rounds to a lightly dusted work surface. Bring the excess dough into a ball and re-roll and cut to make 8 rounds total.
6. Assemble Empanadas
Place one dough round into your non-dominant hand, cupping it like a taco. Using your dominant hand, add ¼ cup of the filling to the center of the dough. Use your dominant hand to fold the edges together, pinching them together lightly. Lay the empanada on the work surface and crimp the edges with a fork to seal completely.
Place on the prepared sheet pan and repeat with the remaining dough rounds. Any extra filling can be frozen for the next time you make empanadas.
Whisk together the egg and remaining 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Brush the empanadas with the egg wash and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the Oven
Rack
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: Off
Temp: 350°F
Heat: Rear, Top
8. Bake Empanadas
Rack
Transfer the chilled empanadas to the oven and bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: Off
Temp: 350°F
Heat: Rear, Top
00:18 Timer
9. Make the Cranberry Relish
While the empanadas bake, add all the relish ingredients to a food processor and pulse until the cranberries are finely chopped and the ingredients are evenly combined. (Relish can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)
10. Serve
Let the empanadas cool slightly and serve with the relish.
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