Empanadas with chimichurri sauce recipe

Ingredients

• 3¾ cups (500 g) plain/all-purpose ‘00’ flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 5½ oz (160 g) Trex or vegan margarine, finely chopped
• 2–3 tablespoons vegan milk

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 red (bell) pepper, deseeded and chopped into 6 mm/¼ inch dice
• 2 spring onions/scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ¼–½ teaspoon chilli/chili powder
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 12 oz (350 g) seitan mince, or substitute 500 g/18 oz oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoons tomato purée/paste
• 1 oz (25 g) pitted green olives, roughly chopped
• ½–1 teaspoon salt, to taste

• 1 medium bunch of fresh Italian parsley
• 1 medium bunch of fresh oregano leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• ¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Korean red pepper flakes, or ½ teaspoon chilli/hot red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup (120 ml) good-quality olive oil
• 2–3 tablespoons vegan milk, for brushing
• 1 teaspoon nigella seeds
• pastry cutter
• lightly oiled baking sheet

1. To make the pastry, put the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the margarine, then, using your fingertips, rub the mixture together until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the milk and mix to bring the dough together. Wrap in clingfilm/plastic wrap or cover in a bowl. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
2. To make the filling, put the coconut oil in a large, deep frying pan/skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry for 10–12 minutes until well softened. Add the garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes. Then add the (bell) pepper, the white parts of the spring onions/scallions, paprika, chilli/chili powder, cumin and oregano. Fry gently for 4–5 minutes. Add the seitan mince (or mushrooms if using) and tomato purée/paste and cook gently for 6–7 minutes, stirring well. Remove from the heat and add the olives and the green parts of the spring onions/scallions. Mix well, add salt to taste and set aside to cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F) Gas 4.
4. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough to 3–4 mm/⅛ inch thickness, and using the pastry cutter, cut out small (10-cm/4-inch) or medium (14-cm/5½-inch) discs. Place a pastry disc in one hand, brush the edges with milk and add 1–2 tablespoons of the filling. Fold over the pastry to make a half-moon shape. Seal the edges using a fork to press together. Repeat with the other pastry discs. Lay the empanadas on the oiled baking sheet and brush the tops lightly with vegan milk. Sprinkle with nigella seeds. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until the pastry is golden.
5. To make the chimichurri sauce, put all of the ingredients into a blender and blitz for a few minutes. Serve the empanadas with the sauce on the side.