Pork empanadas with thyme

Ingredients:

1/2 medium Yukon gold potato peeled and diced small
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, diced small
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound ground pork
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus two small sprigs for topping
1 1/2 tsp chopped sage
2 tsp all purpose flour, plus more for working
2 Tbsp golden raisins (optional)
2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts (Optional)
1 Tbsp sherry vinegar (I just used regular)
course salt and ground pepper
Empanada dough (see below)
1 large egg

1. set a steamer basked in a pot with 2 inches boiling water. Add potato, cover, and cook until tender, 10-15 minutes. In a large skillet, hear oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 5 to 7 minutes. Raise heat to high and add pork, thyme, and sage; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until pork is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring until blended, about 30 seconds. Add raisins, if using and 2 Tbsp water, cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in potato, pine nuts (optional) and vinegar. Season filling with salt and pepper and let cool.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a floured surface, divide dough in half and roll each piece to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 6 inch cookie cutter or plate as a guide (I used the lid of my shortening can) cut out 8 circles. Place 1/4 cup filling on half of each circle, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Brush edge with water; fold top half over filling. Press edges to seal, then crimp firmly with a fork.

3. Transfer empanadas to two baking sheets lined with parchment. In a bowl, beat egg with 1 Tbsp water. Brish emanadas with egg wash and top with thyme sprigs. Bake until golden about 30-40 minutes, rotating sheets 1/2 way through.


Empanada Dough:

in a food processor, pulse 4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled). 2 Teaspoons baking powder, and 1 Tbsp coarse salt. Add 2 Tbsp each minced sage and thyme; pulse until combined. Add 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces; pulse until mixture is the texture of coarse meal, witha few pea-sized pieces butter remaining. Add 1 cup ice water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (add up to 1/4 cup more water, 1 Tbsp at a time, if needed) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until dough comes together 4 or times.


Recipe from EVERYDAY food by Martha Stewart