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Butternut Squash, Potato and Turkey Empanada

A savory/sweet and satisfying empanada made Filipino-style.
Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Author Melissa Hiatt - Making it Sweet

Ingredients

Pastry Dough/Crust

  • 4.5 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup 2 sticks Butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2/3 cup Water
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 tbsp vinegar

Filling

  • 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 large Shallots minced
  • 1/2 lb Ground Turkey
  • 1 cup Butternut Squash cut into 1/2 inch cubes or smaller
  • 1 cup Baby Yellow Potatoes with skin on cut into 1/2 inch cubes or smaller
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 2/3 cup water
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup Fava Beans Peeled and Steamed
  • 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries

Egg Wash

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp water

Instructions

For the Pastry Dough

  1. Place flour, salt, sugar and butter in a food processor and pulse until you get pea-size chunks of butter.
  2. Mix together water, eggs and vinegar
  3. Add liquid mixture to the food processor and pulse until it comes together
  4. Turn mixture out onto a floured board and knead until it's no longer crumbly
  5. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour
  6. Alternately, you can use a pastry cutter to mix the flour and butter and use your hands to bring the liquid mixture and flour together.
  7. While the dough is resting, make the filling.

For the filling

  1. Coat sauté pan with extra virgin olive oil and sauté shallots until translucent.
  2. Add ground turkey and sauté until brown.
  3. Add squash, potatoes and sauté for about 2 minutes
  4. Add tomato paste and water and mix until the tomato is incorporated
  5. Season with salt and pepper
  6. Cook until squash and potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes
  7. Add fava beans and dried cranberries
  8. Stir to combine and allow to slightly cool.

Assembly

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F
  2. On a floured surface roll dough into a log and cut 24 - 32 pieces (32 pieces will make about 4-inch wide empanadas).
  3. Flatten a dough piece into a 1/8th inch thick disc using a floured rolling pin.
  4. Lightly brush egg wash on the edge of 1/2 the disc.
  5. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of the disc.
  6. Fold dough over so that the egg wash seals the edges.
  7. Crimp edges with fork tines to seal.
  8. Place raw empanada on a greased or lined baking sheet.
  9. Continue with the rest of the dough.
  10. Brush the empanadas with the egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.