José Pizarro’s recipe for winter vegetable empanada

Meet one of Spain’s oldest dishes: the classic empanada, which translates as “to wrap/coat in bread”. It’s a tasty, warming pie, not dissimilar to the British Cornish pasty, but lighter and with Spanish flavours. It originated in Galicia, our beloved Celtic region in the north of the peninsula, and it dates all the way back to medieval Iberia. Everyone loves these when I put them on the menu, they’re easy to make and incredibly versatile, because they can be filled with a variety of ingredients, both savoury or sweet. Traditionally, though, they are vegetarian or cheese-based, because that made them inexpensive for their original agricultural consumers.

Winter vegetable empanada with spicy relish

Prep 20 min
Rest 1 hr 30 min
Cook 1 hr 15 min
Cool 10 min
Makes 8

For the pastry
500g plain flour
1 tsp fine sea salt
200g unsalted butter
1 egg
2 tsp white vinegar (white-wine or distilled malt)

For the relish
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
½ tsp each smoked hot and smoked sweet paprika
1 x 400g tin cherry tomatoes
75g soft light brown sugar
75ml apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and black pepper

For the filling
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
85g cured chorizo, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp sweet smoked pimentón de la vera
½ tsp dried oregano
130g potatoes, peeled and cut into ½cm dice
200g parsnips, peeled, cored and cut into ½cm dice
200g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½cm dice
2 tsp sherry vinegar
1 big handful flat-leaf parsley, picked and chopped
100g manchego, cut into small pieces
1 egg, beaten

First, make the pastry. In a large bowl, rub the flour, salt and butter with your fingertips until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Blend the egg and vinegar with 75ml cold water, then tip into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix quickly with a flat-bladed knife, until a dough starts to form, then bring it together with your hands.

Tip the dough on to a lightly floured surface, knead briefly, then shape into a ball. Flatten into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the relish. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then gently saute the red onion, stirring, for five minutes, until softened. Add the spices, cook for a minute more, then add the tomatoes, sugar and vinegar. Season well, then simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until it cooks down into a thick, glossy relish. Take off the heat and leave to cool.

Now for the filling. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then gently fry the onion, stirring, for five minutes, to soften. Add the chorizo, garlic, spices and oregano, and fry, stirring, for a further five minutes, until the chorizo releases its oil. Add all the diced vegetables and sherry vinegar, season generously, then cook on a low heat for three to four minutes, just to soften. Tip into a bowl, leave to cool, then stir through the parsley and manchego.

Divide the pastry into eight equal portions, then roll out each one into a thin disc about 15cm in diameter. Trim the edges, to neaten, if you prefer a smooth finish, then spoon an eighth of the filling into the centre of each pastry circle. Brush all around the edge with beaten egg, fold the pastry over the filling, to cover, then crimp the edges with your fingers or the tines of a fork, to seal.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6, and line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper. Put four empanadas on each tray, brush all over with the beaten egg, then bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove, leave to cool for 10 minutes and serve warm with the relish, or leave to cool to room temperature and serve later.