FABIENNE VINER LUZATTO’S Apple, raisin and cinnamon empanadas

These cute apple-filled pastries make a perfect teatime treat or a parev pud, if you make them with margarine. Delicious with ice cream.

Makes: 14 - 16 Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking: 15 - 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS: For the filling

6 sweet apples (I like the Jazz variety) 50g raisins

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp vanilla extract

For the dough:

150g butter/margarine, softened

225g plain flour

75g sugar

2 medium eggs, one for the dough and one to glaze

METHOD:

To make the apple filling, peel, core and cut the apples in small pieces. Put them in a large cooking pot and add 300ml water. Bring to a boil and then simmer, stirring regularly and breaking up the pieces of apples to make a puree. Add the raisins, cinnamon and vanilla extract.

Heat oven to 180°c while you make the empanadas and line 2 or 3 baking sheets with baking parchment.

To make the dough: mix the butter, flour, sugar and one of the eggs together into a soft dough. Roll it out into a 5 mm thick large rectangle. Using a 5-6cm diameter cookie cutter, cut out discs. Place them on the baking sheets and prick with a fork to stop the dough from rising.

Add a teaspoon of filling on one half of each disc. Fold the other half over and press firmly on the edges to make sure they are properly closed.

Repeat until all the dough and apple puree has been used up.

Beat the remaining egg and brush it over the empanadas.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

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