A few days ago I made roasted pork butt…marinated for two days, slow cooked for eight hours, and broiled to perfection for 20 minutes with added Chicharrón crumbles on top.  Given that it was just about three pounds of pork goodness, I knew I had to think of something to make with the left overs we were bound to have.

So on that note, I took this left over, falling-off-the-bones pork butt, along with left over, store-bought roasted chicken and made ‘paksiw’ for my empanada filling!  Paksiw is a Tagalog (Filipino language) term associated to a dish cooked with vinegar and garlic. Lechon paksiw is a Filipino pork dish made from leftover roast pig also known as “Lechon”.  But…the secret to any good ‘Lechon paksiw’ is most definitely the sauce.  Honestly, it does not have to be homemade, either!

Whilst we are on the topic of fillings, below are the two types of meat I used, and the ingredients that go along with it:

Ingredients:

• Left over pork lechon, shredded and/or…
• Left over, store-bought roasted chicken, shredded
• 1 bottle Mang Tomas All Purpose Sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium-size onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon whole peppercorn
• 8 pieces dried bay leaves
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 3/4 cups vinegar
• 3/4 cups sugar
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Heat up a large cooking pan along with a tablespoon of olive oil.
2. Put-in the garlic and onions then cook until the texture becomes soft.
3. Add the whole peppercorns, dried bay leaves, and soy sauce.
4. Put-in the leftover Lechon and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
5. Add the vinegar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add the sugar and Lechon sauce then simmer for another 5 minutes. (TIP:  To get the remaining sauce inside the bottle of the Mang Tomas Sauce, add a little vinegar  or soy sauce to it, seal back with the cap and shake.  Pour this liquid into the pan, as well.)
7. Dash-in some salt to taste then stir.  Set aside.

NOTE:  USE THE SAME INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS FOR THE LEFT OVER ROASTED CHICKEN

Now for the Empanada Dough…

One

Two

Three

Four

Five (This one is pork)

Six

Seven

Imperfections are okay!

Eight (This one is chicken)

Nine

Ten

Golden Brown…

(Chicken) Lechon Paksiw Empanadas

(Pork Butt) Lechon Paksiw Empanadas

Chicken Empanada filling

Pork Empanada Filling

PASTRY INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups all-purpose organic flour (plus extra)

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp table salt

• 1 stick organic butter, cubed

• 1/4 cup cold water (plus extra)

• 1 egg

• 4 cups olive or grapeseed oil (for deep-frying)

Directions:

1. Combine all the pastry dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add in the cubes of butter.
2. Rub in the cubes of butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add in the egg and water to the buttered ingredients and knead till you have a smooth dough ball.  Texture wise, it should feel like a smooth play dough.
4. Dust cutting/ or pastry board with spare flour.  Grab approximately 1/4 cup size dough and place in on the baking paper, flatten with a rolling-pin until you have 0.5 cm thickness.
5. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling on the upper side of the pastry.
6. Fold the lower side of the pastry over the filling making sure you firmly pressed the dough that surrounds the edge of your encased filling.
7. Crimp the round edge, slightly flatten the dough edge before folding each turn.  Once you have reached the end, tuck the last fold on the back, you can dab a bit of water to make it stick nicely.
8. Repeat steps 5 to 7 till you have finished your dough.
9. Heat cooking oil in a large saucepan and fry the empanadas, 3-6 pieces at a time  on medium-high.  Be sure to flip the empanadas on occasion to achieve an even, golden brown.  The pastry is very delicate, so be gentle on handling the empanadas as you turn them.
10. Place the cooked empanadas on a large flat surface covered with paper towels to drain the excess oil.

Best served warm!  Enjoy…