Chilean Empanadas

I got the beef filling and dough recipe from Sophia Wirthlin, a native Chilean who is a professional cook that contributes regularly to the Chile missionary parents fb group. She says her recipe for beef filling and dough are from the most traditional Chilean empanada with the perfect dough and filling. We found the chicken filling recipe online, it's our favorite and David says it's a lot like what he had in Chile.

INGREDIENTS

For the Beef Pino (filling)

•    1 kilo or 2 pounds of ground beef

•    1 cup beef broth

•    3 large or 4 medium onions chopped into small cubes

•    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

•    2 tablespoons red pepper or paprika or Merken (Chilean smoked chili)

•    1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

•    salt and pepper

•    4 tablespoons oil

Optional,

•    20 black olives

•    40 raisins

•    4 hard-boiled eggs

Chicken filling (from Taste of Home)

1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken

2/3 cup shredded cheese (original recipe calls for Colby-Monterey Jack cheese; we used mozzarella and it was great)

3 Tbsp cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp chopped sweet red pepper

2 tsp chopped seeded jalapeno pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

For the dough,

•    1 cup milk

•    1 cup warm water

•    1 tablespoon salt

•    1 kilo or 2 pounds of all-purpose flour

•    4 egg yolks

•    180 grams/ 6,5 oz of melted shortening, warm

INSTRUCTIONS

It's best to make the beef Pino the day before.

1. In a large saucepan heat the oil and fry the meat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes, add the paprika, salt, pepper, and cumin, sauté a few minutes.

2. Add the broth and simmer 30 minutes over low heat. Add the onion and mix well and cook over medium heat until onion is tender about 30 minutes.

3. Add the flour and stir well and adjust seasoning if necessary, cook two more minutes. Cool and refrigerate.

For chicken filling mix all the ingredients. You'll likely want to multiply the chicken recipe, it's the favorite filling recipe.

For the dough.

1. Mix the flour and egg yolks, preferably in a stand mixer to incorporate. Add melted shortening and work a little more.

2. In a separate container add salt to hot water so it goes into solution and then add the milk and mix

Add the liquid to the dry ingredients slowly on low speed until the dough is soft and flexible. If needed, keep adding water. Mix minimally, it may be lumpy.

3. Cover dough with a moist cloth while making individual pieces. Work each piece individually, rolling until thin, cut in a circle about 7″ and fill with two tablespoons of Pino, a quarter of hard-boiled egg, olives and raisins if desired. Close smearing the edge with water, press firmly and make the folds. Brush with an egg white wash before baking.

4.  Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.

5.  Serve hot. To reheat, do it in the oven at the same temperature for 15 minutes.

Belgian Sugar Waffles

Inspired by Paul's Belgian waffles I tried a few versions and I like these the best.  I also tried making them with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice and that was good, too.  Yes, I realize that makes it not very Belgian since pumpkin is a new world food.

It's great with a little buttermilk syrup.

These aren't just for breakfast, they can be dessert waffles topped with ice cream.  I have a waffle stick waffle iron that works well for them, you can eat them with your fingers and dip them. 

I just got a fancy (used of course $15) Krups removable plate, flip, Belgian waffle iron--it is THE BEST thing to make these waffles with!  The removable plates make clean-up SO MUCH EASIER and after one false start when every recipe I saw said to cook the waffles for 4 1/2 minutes on 6 (highest level) I found they are perfect at level 4 for about 2 1/2 minutes.  In the picture the waffle on top is with the Krups inversion waffle maker, you can see some of the waffle sticks below where I didn't get the fill quite right.

Here is the link to the original blog post: 

https://www.thespruceeats.com/belgian-sugar-waffles-428321?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=shareurlbuttons

Here is the recipe and directions:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sugar (light brown)
• 1/2 cup water (lukewarm, or for richer flavor substitute scalded milk)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of butter (melted)  [I often double it because I usually make it for a crowd and IF there are leftovers they are great, so I will do a mixture of butter and oil--because I just can't do a full pound of butter in anything!--and I am finding that I can reduce the amount of fat and it still works fine.]
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup pearl sugar

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Whisk the brown sugar and yeast with the water and let stand for about 5 minutes, until it is nice and foamy.
3. Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. [I do it in my KitchenAid stand mixer.] Gradually add in the yeast mixture until the dough is sort of dampened and shaggy looking.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition.
5. Whisk the vanilla in the butter and add to the batter gradually. Mix for about 1 minute or until smooth. It will be very sticky and have a thick, but not a stiff texture. Cover and let rise for about one hour.
6. Right before you are ready to cook the waffles, mix in the pearl sugar. If you add it too early it will dissolve and will not create that crispy coating.
7. Using two spoons [I use a scoop], pull off about 2 tablespoons worth of batter and place onto a preheated waffle iron. Cook until golden brown.
8. Place on a cookie cooling rack over a sheet pan. Keep warm in a preheated 250 F oven.
9. Drizzle with chocolate sauce if you're feeling saucy and serve warm.