HEALTHIER EMPANADA DOUGH - MASA PARA EMPANADAS LIGHT

Healthier Empanada Dough - Masa Para Empanadas Light image

A lighter dough for making empanandas, with yogurt in place of some of the lard/shortening.

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk greek yogurt
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup water (or more as needed)

Steps:

Place the flour in a large bowl. Whisk in 1 teaspoon salt.
Add the yogurt and the melted butter to the flour and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough starts to come together. Knead dough gently with your hands, adding more water if the dough is too dry. Taste for salt and add another 1/4-1/2 teaspoon if desired. Knead mixture very gently and briefly until you obtain a relatively smooth dough, but do not overwork the dough. It's fine if the dough appears a bit shaggy and unevenly mixed (something like pie crust), but it should have enough moisture to come together in a cohesive ball. If dough is too dry, add a bit more water. If it is too sticky, add a bit more flour, and knead lightly.
Cover the dough with plastic warp and set aside to rest and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Dough may be prepared the day before and chilled overnight.
To make empanadas, divide dough into 10 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough into a 6-inch diameter circle.
Add 1/4 cup of filling (see ideas for empanada fillings here) to the center of a circle of dough. Wet edges of dough lightly with water, then fold dough in half to form a semi-circle, enclosing the filling. Pinch edges of dough together, and crimp dough edge to further seal. (For photos and more instructions on shaping empanadas, How to Fill and Shape Empanadas). Place empanada on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining circles of dough.
Mix the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water, and brush empanadas with the egg wash before placing them in the oven. Bake empanadas for 25-30 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.