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1
For the Pastry:
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2
Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.
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3
Cut the butter into the flour using your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until the texture resembles coarse meal with visible bits of butter.
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4
Stir the egg into the flour mixture and stir or pulse until incorporated.
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5
Pinch off a small handful of dough; if it doesnt hold together, add ice water 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring or pulsing after each addition.
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6
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into a disk about 1/2-inch thick.
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Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
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8
For the Empanaditas:
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9
Preheat the oven to 375F and set 2 racks on the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
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10
To make the filling, in a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the oil.
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Add the mushrooms, onion, and carrot, and saute until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
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12
Raise the heat to medium-high, add the ground beef, and cook, breaking up with a fork, until the meat starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
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13
Add the sweet potato, russet potato, soy sauce, rice wine, and rice vinegar.
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14
Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the potatoes have softened, about 15 minutes.
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15
Add the chorizo and raisins and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
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16
Stir in the green peas and heat just to cook through, about 3 minutes.
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17
Taste and add more vinegar and salt if necessary.
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18
To assemble the empanaditas, remove 1 disc of the Rich Pie Pastry from the refrigerator.
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19
On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thick.
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Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles, saving the scraps to reroll at the end.
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21
Using a spatula or your fingers, transfer the dough rounds to an ungreased baking sheet, setting the rounds 1 inch apart.
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22
(Alternatively, the dough can be rolled out and cut into rounds, then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead.)
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23
Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling into the center of each dough round and top with a basil leaf, if using.
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24
With a pastry brush, lightly dab the edges of the circle with the egg white.
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25
Fold the dough in half into a half moon, enclosing the filling.
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26
Crimp the folded edges decoratively with the tines of a fork, if desired, or gently press the edges together with your fingers to seal.
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27
Repeat this process, taking one disk of dough from the refrigerator at a time, and arranging the filled empanadas on 2 baking sheets, until all of the dough has been used, and the scraps have been rerolled.
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28
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk.
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29
Brush the tops of each empanadita with the egg wash. Bake the empanaditas on the upper and lower thirds of the oven, switching the position of the sheets from top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking, until they are golden brown, about 25 minutes.
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30
Let cool slightly before serving warm or at room temperature.
