Turnovers-Pastéis
Ingredients :
Filling:
· 1 tbsp. olive oil
· 1 small onion, chopped
· 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
· 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts—rinsed and patted dry
· 1 bay leaf
· 3 tbsp. tomato paste
· salt and black pepper to taste
· 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
· 8 pitted green olives, chopped pinch cayenne pepper
Pastry:
· 4 c. all-purpose flour
· 1 c. vegetable shortening, softened
· 1 tbsp. butter, softened
· 1 tsp. salt
· 2 eggs
· 1.5 c. water
· Glaze:
· 1 egg
· pinch salt
How To Make :
· To prepare the filling, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
· Add chicken breasts, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, and just enough water to cover all. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until chicken is white all the way through. Remove chicken. Carefully pour remaining broth through a strainer into another pan, and reserve.
· Using a fork and knife or your fingers, shred chicken finely. In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, flour, olives, cayenne, and 3 to 4 tbsp. of the reserved broth. The filling should be moist, but not runny.
· To make pastry, place flour in a large mixing bowl. Make a hole in the middle of flour. In a second bowl, combine shortening, butter, salt, eggs, and 1 c. water. Pour this mixture into the hole in flour.
· Use your hands to combine the ingredients, squeezing them into a paste. If dough is too stiff or hard, add a little more water. When dough has a smooth, slightly sticky texture, set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.
· Preheat oven to 350˚F. Form dough into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter. On a lightly floured countertop or other surface, roll the dough out into thin rounds 3 or 4 inches in diameter. Place about 1 tbsp. of filling into the center of each piece of dough. Fold dough over and press edges together firmly. Wet your fingers with some water to tightly seal pastry edges. Place on a greased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
· To make glaze, beat egg yolk with salt in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to lightly glaze pastéis. Bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Preparation time: 45 to 50 minutes (plus 30 minutes standing time) Cooking time: 60 minutes Makes about 45 pastéis