Empanaditas y Pastelitos [+ Video] (Dominican Savory Turnovers)

Step 1

Mix egg white: Combine 1 egg white and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Set aside

Step 2

Mix dry ingredients: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 3

Combine: Pour in the egg white + water mix into the flour.Add water by tablespoons until the mix is still a bit on the dry side.

Step 4

Work dough: Mix everything with your hands on a lightly floured surface until everything is well mixed, but just squeezing without folding (like playdoh). Add some flour to the dough if it is too sticky, or a bit of water if it is too dryOnce the dough has the consistency of playdoh (One to two minutes) cover and let the dough rest for ten minutes.

Step 5

Rolling out: Separate a small, golf-ball-sized piece of dough. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough forming a small circle.

Step 6

Make pastelitos: Cut out circles of about 2.5" [6.5 cm] in diameter. Paint the inside with egg white, place a tablespoon of the chicken filling in the center of each circle, cover with another circle and seal the border pressing it with a fork.

Step 7

Make empanadas: Cut out circles 4" [10 cm] in diameter. Paint the inside with egg white, place a tablespoon of the chicken filling in the center of each circle, double over in a semi-circle and seal the border pressing it with a fork.

Step 8

Frying: Heat oil over medium heat in a 1 qt [1lt] pot. Deep fry the pastelitos / empanaditas until they are golden brown on each side. Rest on a paper towel to drain excess oil before serving.