If you’re entertaining and in search of an appetiser that’s sure to impress, these little pockets of happiness will do the trick! Our ricotta and sweet potato empanadas are encased in a buttery golden pastry and are the perfect (healthier) comfort food for when the mercury dips. 

Method

1. For the pastry: Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour until it resembles very rough breadcrumbs.

2. Beat together the egg, iced water, and vinegar in a separate bowl. Add it to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork or wooden spoon until you had a shaggy dough.

3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a round, gently kneading a few times. Shape into a rectangle, wrap in clingfilm, and chill for 1 hour.

4. For the filling: In the meantime, heat the oil in a large frying pan set over a medium heat. Add the sweet potato and a generous splash of water, partially cover with a lid, and cook over a low heat until the sweet potato is just soft to the tip of a knife, about 10-12 minutes; add a splash more water if it starts to run dry.

5. When ready, transfer to a mixing bowl and roughly mash with a fork. Let cool for 5 minutes before stirring in the ricotta, oregano, chilli flakes, and some salt and pepper to taste.

6. After the pastry has chilled, roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 cm | 1/4" thickness. Cut out at least eight 10 cm | 4" wide rounds using a stencil, cutter, or by working freehand with a sharp paring knife.

7. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160° fan) | 350F | gas 4.

8. Spoon the filling onto the centre of the pastry rounds. Wet the rims by rubbing them with a little water using your fingertip before folding one side over the filling and sealing against the other by crimping with the tines of a fork.

9. Transfer the empanadas to a large baking tray, spaced apart. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the pastry is cooked through.

10. To serve: Remove from the oven and let cool briefly before serving warm with some lettuce.

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Ingredients

• 300 g | 2 1/4 cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 120 g | 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
• 1 large egg
• 80 ml iced water
• 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large sweet potatoes

• 200 g | 3/4 cup ricotta
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 pinch red chilli flakes
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp black sesame seeds
• 1/2 round lettuce, leaves separated