Chocolate Dulce de Leche Empanadas

These gorgeous little baked parcels are a real wood-fired treat. Crisp, golden pastry wrapped around a rich filling of chocolate and dulce de leche — they're the kind of thing that disappears from the plate before they've had a chance to cool down. Originally from Argentina, empanadas translate beautifully to the wood-fired oven, where the dry, radiant heat gives the pastry a brilliant colour and a satisfying crunch. Recipe by Gemma, using the Alfa 4 Pizze wood-fired oven.

Ingredients

Pastry

• 315g plain flour
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 115g cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 egg yolks
• 60–80ml cold water

Filling

• 200g dulce de leche (available in most larger supermarkets or online)
• 100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (70% cocoa works beautifully)

To finish

• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• Icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Method

1. Fire up your wood-fired oven and bring it to around 190°C at the dome. You're not chasing pizza temperatures here — you want a gentle, steady bake, so let the big heat die back and use a good bed of embers rather than roaring flames. A pizza stone or the oven floor works well once the temperature has settled.
2. Make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and enough cold water to bring it together into a smooth, pliable dough. Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 3mm thick. Cut into rounds roughly 12–15cm in diameter — a bowl or large cutter works perfectly.
4. Place a heaped teaspoon of dulce de leche in the centre of each round, then top with a few pieces of chopped dark chocolate. Don't overfill or they'll burst at the seams.
5. Fold each round in half to form a half-moon shape and press the edges firmly together. Crimp with a fork or fold and twist the edge in the traditional way. Place on a lightly greased baking tray.
6. Brush each empanada generously with beaten egg for a deep golden finish.
7. Slide the tray into the wood-fired oven at around 190°C and bake for 20–25 minutes, rotating once halfway through, until the pastry is golden and cooked through. Keep an eye on them — wood-fired ovens have hot spots, so check and rotate as needed.
8. Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes before eating — the dulce de leche filling gets very hot. Dust with icing sugar to serve if you like.

Originally published by Alfa Forni. Adapted for UK audiences by Cedar Kitchen in the Garden.