Chicken empanadas with mojo verde

SERVES 4-6 (MAKES 18) // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 20 MINS

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp dried oregano

400 gm chicken thigh mince

1 long green chilli, finely chopped

1 hard-boiled egg, peeled, roughly chopped

½ cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley,

finely chopped

6 white anchovies, finely chopped 60 gm (½ cup) pitted Sicilian olives, finely chopped

6 sheets store-bought shortcrust pastry

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

MOJO VERDE

1 long green chilli, chopped

½ cup each loosely packed flat-leaf parsley and coriander

50 gm green pitted Sicilian olives

60 ml (¼ cup) each white wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil

1 Heat oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add onion, garlic and oregano and cook, stirring, until golden (2-3 minutes). Add mince and cook, breaking up any lumps, until starting to colour (5 minutes).

2 Remove from heat, add chilli, egg, parsley, anchovies and olives; mix to combine. Season to taste and cool.

3 To make mojo verde, combine all ingredients in a small blender and blend until smooth; season to taste.

4 Using an 11cm-round cutter, cut 4 rounds from each pastry sheet.

Place 1½ tbsp of mixture in the centre of each round. Fold to enclose, pinch edges and pleat to seal.

5 Heat vegetable oil in a deep saucepan to 180˚C. Deep-fry empanadas in batches until golden and crisp (4-5 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Serve with mojo verde.