Empanada dough:
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) whole wheat flour
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) all-vegetable shortening, cold & cut into cubes
1 large egg
1/3 cup (75 mL ) ice water
1 tbsp (15 mL) vinegar

Mushroom filling:
1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
2 fat cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small red onion, minced
1/4 cup (50 mL) fresh thyme, stems removed
1 lb (500 g) button mushrooms, sliced & roughly chopped
1/2 tsp (2 mL) kosher salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (50 mL) white wine
2 tbsp (25 mL) heavy cream
1 cup (250 mL) Asiago cheese, grated
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp (5 mL) of water

Combine flours and salt in a large bowl and stir. Add shortening and use your fingers to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the ice water and add in the vinegar. Slowly pour into the flour mixture and use a fork to gently incorporate it. Gently knead the dough until it comes together into a ball - two or three times should do it.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten it slightly with the palm of your hand, and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and saute until soft. Add mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until the ingredients start to turn golden and fragrant. Add wine, stirring, until it evaporates. Turn down heat and add cream, stirring until it absorbs into the mixture. Remove from heat and let cool. Preheat oven to 400F.

Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface. Use a 3 1/2-inch circle cutter to cut out circles of dough. Scraps can be collected, re-rolled and cut into circles.

Place about a teaspoon of the mushroom mixture onto each circle, topping with some cheese, while leaving a half-inch border around the filling. Brush the egg wash on the empty side of the circle and fold dough over to create a semi-circle. Use a fork to press the edges tightly together. Brush the egg wash over the tops of all of the completed empanadas and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment or silpat. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the empanadas are golden brown and flaky. Let cool slightly before serving.

Makes 18 empanadas.

This recipe was created by Jeannette Ordas of Everybody Likes Sandwiches for the Mushroom Masters: A Tournament of Taste Button Battle. For more recipes visit Jeannette's blog at www.everybodylikessandwiches.com and also at www.mushrooms.ca.

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