Empanada Dough

1. Whisk 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt together in a bowl until well blended. Make a well in the center.

2. Whisk water and egg yolk together in a small bowl until smooth; pour into the well and mix to form a stiff dough.

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Roll dough with a rolling pin until thin, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Brush melted butter over top and roll dough into a log.

4. Cut the log crosswise into about 24 slices. Roll each slice into a disk.

To Make the Empanadas:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fill each empanada disk with about 1 tablespoon of your favorite filling. (Try lola's recipe for Empanada Pork Filling to make Filipino-style empanadas.) Fold the disk over the filling into a half-moon and seal firmly. Place empanadas onto a foil-lined baking sheet and brush the tops with beaten egg white. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.