Empadinha (Savory Mini Pies)

Empadinha is a small shortbread pie served at buffet parties. Both the dough and the filling can be used as well in regular sized pie, known as “empadão”, namely a large “empada”. We propose the most classic fillings: palm heart, prawns or chicken, but if preferred, vegetables, salt cod, cheese and other fillings may be used.
The “Mini Cheese Pies” and the “Chicken Pie” are variations of this recipe.

Ingredients
For the dough:
• 400 g all-purpose flour
• 200 g butter at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
• 400 g palm heart or 600 g prawns or 400 g boiled chicken
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon corn oil
• 1 small onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 2 level tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 150 ml milk, approximately
• salt and black pepper
• a handful of green peas
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• pitted olives
To brush the top of pies:
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation method

Preparation of the dough:

1. Sieve the flour and salt onto your working surface to form a mound and make a well in it.
2. Blend the butter with the eggs using your fingertips and add to the well, kneading slowly from the middle towards the edges, without overworking the dough.
3. Cover with plastic film and let the dough rest and harden in the fridge.

Preparation of the filling:

1. Sauté the onion, the garlic and the parsley finely chopped in oil and butter.
2. Add the palm heart cut into small pieces or the chopped shrimps or the chopped boiled chicken.
3. Add the tomato purée and sauté.
4. Add flour and the milk, cook stirring constantly till the mixture thickens. The filling must be creamy, if necessary add more milk.
5. Season with salt and black pepper and add the green peas, the olives and the hard-boiled eggs cut in cubes.

To assemble the empadinhas:

1. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 3mm. I like to roll out the dough between two sheets of grease-proof paper or plastic film.
2. Cut dough disks larger than the diameter of the little individual pie pan.
3. Grease the mini tins with butter and gently place the dough into them.
4. Fill with the filling and cover with a second dough disk. Seal the edges.
5. Brush the surface with beaten egg yolk and olive oil.
6. Bake at 190 °C, until golden brown.

The baking time depends on the size of the little individual pie pan.

Posted on: 11 November 2011