Swap in margarine for butter to make these parev. If you do go dairy, they’re delicious warm with ice cream. 

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.

Recipe first published in the JC August 30 2018