Basic Puff-Pastry Short Dough for Empanadas
Region: Spain
Category: Bread Doughs, Short Doughs, and Batters
Season: Any
Difficulty: Medium Difficulty

This puff pastry-style short dough made with pork lard is adapted from one developed by Penelope Casas.

Yield: Makes enough 40 pastries
Preparation Time: 1:15 hours in all

3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup ice water

4 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

2 large egg yolks

1 cup lard, softened

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt, then mix in the water, vinegar, and egg yolks and knead until a dough can be formed. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.

2. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface until it is a 10 x 15-inch rectangle. Smear one third of the soft lard over the dough using a rubber spatula. Fold the dough into thirds as if you were folding a letter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. Repeat step 2 two more times with the remaining lard. After the third time, refrigerate overnight.

4. When you finally roll out the dough, use a liberally floured work surface.

Posted: 10/01/2007

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