The secret of a good empanada is the dough. That’s the first thing you will taste when taking a bite. There are many dough recipes, all depending on the ingredients used (olive oil or butter, water or milk, plain flour or corn flour, etc.) and the country it is made in. In some countries they use corn flour for the empanada dough, which gives it a somewhat sweet taste.

This is one of the most basic recipes for empanada dough I know. It’s very easy to make (like most dough recipes) and it doesn’t take too much time.
This dough can be stored in a fridge for up to 6 hours. This recipe is enough for 30 empanadasof  3-4 inches long (8-10 centimeter)

Ingredients
- 500 gr plain flour or all-purpose flour
- 200 ml water (lukewarm)
- 100 ml olive oil. For extra taste you can also use the oil you used to make the sofrito  or filling in
- 3/4 teaspoon of dry yeast. That’s about 6.5 gr.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder (pimenton dulce)

Making the dough
Put the flower in a bowl and make a well in the middle. Put the other ingredients in the well and start mixing it using a fork or a spoon. Mix until it becomes stiff. Put the dough on a lightly floured flat surface and start kneading with your hands until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should now be smooth and easy to handle. It should not stick to the surface or your hands anymore. If so, add a little flour until it’s not sticky anymore. If the dough is to dry add a little water. Form the dough into a ball and put it in a bowl covering it. Let the dough rest four about an hour before you use it.