Mini Spinach and Paneer Empanadas

Directions

• Prepare the dough. Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a blender, two forks, or your hands. I like to use my hands to rub the butter into the flour until the butter is about pea-size.
• In a small mixing bowl, add egg yolks and water and stir or whisk well. Gradually add to flour mixture. If the dough doesn’t look moistened enough, add 2-3 tbsp more water.
• Tip dough out to a lightly floured surface and begin kneading. The dough will be shaggy, not very elastic, but should be able to be kneaded without much difficulty or cracking. If the dough is cracking, add a few tbsp more water. Then cover dough with plastic wrap or with a plate in your mixing bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour (see note).
• Prepare the filling. Wash spinach and squeeze out as much water as possible. Roughly cut spinach in strips and set aside.
• Grate paneer and set aside.
• Chop garlic (finely) and onion (not that finely). Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic until it has browned, then add onion and sauté until it has started to soften. Add spices to taste (see note).
• Add spinach and cook until wilted and soft. If there is a lot of excess liquid, help it evaporate by turning up the flame on your stove and making a well in the center of your spinach mixture. Push the liquid out of the spinach into this well. When most of the liquid has evaporated, add the paneer and cook for about 1 minute. Then remove from heat and allow to cool briefly.
• Meanwhile, remove dough from the fridge and let it reach room temperature. Test it by poking it with your finger: it should be soft and smooth, but the indentation should remain, not bounce back. .
• Roll out the dough thin. You can separate the dough into two or more pieces to make this easier. Cut out circles of about 4-inch diameters.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare two baking trays with parchment paper.
• Add about one spoon of filling to the center of each empanada circle, then fold the dough over to make a half-circle. Make sure the filling has spread to the corners and don’t underfill, but be sure there’s room to close the empanada. Pinch the edges of the dough together firmly to seal them, then crimp the edges decoratively with a fork.
• Place the empanadas on the baking sheets. An egg wash is optional, but will help the empanadas to look nicely golden brown. You could also brush the egg whites saved from the egg yolks for the dough, but the empanadas’ final color won’t be as rich.
• Bake the empanadas on uppermost racks in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and slightly puffed. Switch racks halfway through baking and serve warm or hot.