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1
Make the dough.
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2
Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
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3
Place the butter, shortening, eggs, salt, and 1 cup water in the well.
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4
Using one hand to mix, squeeze these ingredients through your fingers to make a paste.
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5
Gradually work in the flour, squeezing the dough between your fingers to mix it.
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6
Add water as necessary: the dough should be quite soft.
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7
Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
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8
Prepare the filling.
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9
Peel and devein the shrimp (my favorite yucky part...).
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10
Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
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11
Saute the onion and garlic over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until soft but not brown.
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12
Add the shrimp, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, plus water to cover.
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13
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked.
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14
Strain the shrimp, reserving the broth.
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15
Finely chop the shrimp by hand or in the food processor.
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16
Stir in the flour, peas, and olives.
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17
Stir in 3-4 tablespoons of the reserved broth: the filling should be moist but not runny.
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18
Add enough cayenne to give the shrimp mixture a little bite.
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19
Pinch off cherry-sized pieces of dough and use them to line the tartlet molds.
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20
Push the dough in with your thumb.
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21
The dough should just reach over the top of the mold.
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22
Place a spoonful of filling in each crust.
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23
Roll out the remaining dough and cut out tops for the empadinhas.
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24
Try to capture an air bubble when you place the top over the filling: this is what makes the pie light.
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25
Seal the tartlets by pinching together the top and bottom crust.
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26
Note: the empadinhas can be prepared ahead to this stage and frozen.
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27
Preheat the oven to 375u00b0 F.
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28
Brush the tops of the empadinhas with egg glaze.
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29
Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
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30
Unmold and serve.
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31
If you're lazy like me, try this big pie version, called empadao: make the filling and use Pillsbury pie crusts, one for the bottom and one for the top.
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32
Fantastic dinner stuff!
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33
To make chicken empadinhas-------------.
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34
Cook the chicken and prepare the broth.
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35
Place the chicken in a small saucepan with the garlic, onion, bay leaf and water to cover.
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36
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and gently simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
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37
Drain the chicken, reserving the broth.
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38
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and finely shred the meat.
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39
Discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaf.
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40
Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
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41
Saute the onion and garlic over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until soft but not brown.
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42
Add the chicken, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, plus water to cover.
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43
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
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44
Procede as in step 3 above, stirring in the flour, peas, and olives.
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45
And so on.
