Empanadillas de Pollo con Cumino
(Little Chicken Empanadas with Cumin)

Serves 10 to 12.

Ingredients:

Filling -

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless dark-meat chicken
• 1 teaspoon each cumin, salt, and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 green onions, trimmed of root ends and about one-third of the green part
• 1 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

Dough -

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 pound cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• Pinch each salt and cayenne pepper
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

To make the filling: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and add the chicken. Sprinkle with the cumin, salt, and pepper and sauté about 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through. Remove the chicken to a work surface, roughly chop, and put into the work bowl of a food processor.

In the oil remaining in the skillet, sauté the green onions over medium heat until limp. Pour the green onions and any oil remaining in the skillet into the processor. Whirl just to finely chop without turning the mixture into a paste. Fold in the cilantro. Taste for seasonings and adjust according to your taste. The filling should be highly flavored and moist with the oil. Refrigerate the filling while you prepare the dough.

To make the dough: In the work bowl of a food processor, combine the butter, cream cheese, cornmeal, flour, and seasonings. Whirl to form a ball. Put the ball on a floured work surface and cut into quarters. Working with one section at a time, roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick and cut into 20 to 24 rounds with a 4-inch round cutter.

Divide the filling among the dough circles. Close the circles at the edges by folding in half, pinching together with your fingers. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Arrange the pastries on a greased baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden. Serve hot from the oven or at room temperature.

NOTE: unbaked pastries may be frozen for several months.