Apple Empanadas (Spanish Apple Hand Pies) Recipe:This recipe for apple empanadas is full of fall flavors. Cinnamon adds a subtle sweetness to the apples, which are then wrapped in an olive oil crust and baked until brown. Apple hand pies are a great treat for the afternoon or to pack in a lunch.
Apple Empanadas (Spanish Apple Hand Pies) Recipe
Ingredients
For The Dough:
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup tepid water
For The Filling:
- 3 large sweet or semi sweet apples (about 24 ounces), peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
For The Topping:
- 1Â large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the dough. Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a food processor and blitz a few times to combine. With the food processor running, stream in the olive oil. Continue to run the food processor as you stream in half of the water. Pause and scrape the bottom and sides of the food processor to redistribute any dry or wet spots in the dough. Turn the food processor back on and stream in the remaining water until the dough comes together into a mass.
- Knead the dough. Scrape the dough onto a clean work surface and knead by hand until the dough comes together and no dry bits of flour remain, about 30 seconds. The dough should be smooth and not sticky. Cover the dough and let it rest while you prepare the apple filling.
- Make the apple filling. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering (but before smoking), test the temperature by adding 1 apple piece. The apple should sizzle audibly but gently when the pan is hot enough. Adjust the heat if necessary. Add the remaining apples along with the sugar and cinnamon, and spread them as close to a single layer as possible in the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to caramelize, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Finish the filling. Take the pan off the heat. Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon zest and toss to coat the apples evenly. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Preheat the oven. Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Begin rolling the dough. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Work with one piece of dough at a time, keeping the others covered to prevent them from drying out. With a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a circle about 5-inches in diameter. The olive oil in the dough should prevent it from sticking to the counter, but you can sprinkle the dough and work surface with a light dusting of flour as needed if it begins to stick.
- Fill the empanadas. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of the apple filling into the center of the dough. Start at one end of the empanada and use your thumb and forefinger to fold the edge up and twist, rolling the two edges together towards the center of the empanada. Gently pinch the rolled edge so it holds. Keep folding and twisting the edges in this way until you reach the other end of the empanada. Alternatively, use the tines of a fork to press and seal the edges together. Repeat this process of rolling, stuffing, and crimping until you have used all of the dough.
- Bake. Arrange the empanadas evenly spaced on the lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water. Brush a light coating of the egg wash on the tops of the empanadas with a pastry brush and sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
