Cheese Empanadas Food

CHILEAN-STYLE CHEESE EMPANADAS (FRITAS DE QUESO)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
• Gently mix the vegetable shortening into the flour.
• Place the milk and water in a saucepan and heat until almost boiling.
• Stir the hot liquid into the flour mixture. Add more water (1 tablespoon at a time) if the mixture seems too dry and crumbly, or add more flour if the mixture is too wet and sticky.
• Knead dough gently until well mixed and homogenous.
• Divide dough into 16 portions, and roll each piece into a ball. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
• Grate or finely chop cheese.
• Roll each ball of dough into a 6- to 7-inch circle.
• Place 1 ounce of cheese in the center of each dough circle.
• Fold the dough in half over the cheese to form a semicircle.
• Press down firmly along edges to seal.
• Roll the edge inward over itself and press down again to seal.
• Crimp edge decoratively with a fork, pressing to seal.
• In a deep-sided skillet, pot, or deep-fat fryer, heat several inches of vegetable oil to 350 F. Fry empanadas in batches, turning at least once, until golden brown.
• Drain empanadas on paper towels.
• Empanadas can be kept warm in a 200 F oven for up to 1 hour before serving. Serve warm.

CHEESY CHICKEN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
• Place a large saute pan over medium heat and add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, jalapeno, garlic, green onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cheese, cream cheese, sauteed mixture and hot sauce together.
• Whisk the egg in a small bowl. Set aside. Sprinkle flour on your work surface and unroll the pie dough.
• Roll out each round to a 13-inch circle. Cut each crust into eight 4-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. You can knead the scraps and then roll out, if necessary. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture into the center of each round. Brush the edges with the egg wash and fold each circle in half. Gently press on the top of the empanada to release any air. Seal the edges with a fork and brush the top with the remaining egg wash. Sprinkle with chile powder. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Serve the chicken empanadas with the Chili Lime Dipping Sauce.
• Combine the yogurt, chipotle and lime zest and juice in a bowl.

CHEESE & CHICKEN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Mix flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add 1/4 cup water, stirring until mixture forms ball. Knead dough on lightly floured surface 5 min. or until smooth and elastic. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; refrigerate while preparing empanada filling.
• Cook chicken, onions and peppers in nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 5 min. or until chicken is no longer pink. Add salsa; cook and stir 2 min. Cool completely. Heat oven to 375ºF. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Roll out each piece on lightly floured surface to 7-inch round; place on parchment-covered baking sheet.
• Stir cheese into chicken mixture; spoon about 1/2 cup onto half of each dough round. Beat egg and remaining water; brush onto edges of dough rounds. Fold in half to enclose filling. Press tops lightly to remove excess air; seal edges with fork.
• Brush tops with remaining egg. Bake 18 to 20 min. or until golden brown.

HAM & CHEESE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375º F.
• Roll pie crust into 12-inch circle on lightly floured surface; cut into 8 wedges. Separate wedges, then roll each, 1 at a time, to make 1/2 inch wider on all sides.
• Combine ham and cheese; spoon onto centers of pastry wedges. Roll up each wedge, starting at wide end. Place, point sides down, on parchment-covered baking sheet; top with olives.
• Bake 16 min. or until golden brown.

HAM & CHEESE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• For the dough: Combine flour & butter in a large bowl.
• Using a pastry blender or a fork, mix until the butter is evenly distributed among the flour.
• Dissolve the salt & sugar in the water & stir into the flour mix.
• On a lightly floured surface, lightly knead dough until it forms a ball, adding more water or flour if needed.
• Cover the bowl with lid or plastic wrap & refrigerate 1 hour.
• Roll dough out on a floured surface about 1/8 inch thick.
• With a circle cookie cutter, cut out a 4-inch circle.
• Continue until you have used all of the dough.
• For filling: Put parsley, ham, breadcrumbs, cheese, sour cream, egg & pepper into a large bowl.
• Mix well.
• Put dough circles on a greased pan.
• Put 2 Tbsp. of filling in center of each circle.
• Fold dough circles in half, press & seal with a fork.
• For egg wash: beat egg & add about 1 Tbsp water.
• Brush egg wash on top of each empanada.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

CORN, CHEESE & CHILLI EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Make the filling by mixing the corn, coriander, spring onion, cheese and chilli with some seasoning.
• Unroll the pastry sheet, roll a little thinner with a rolling pin, then use a 10cm circle cutter to cut out circles of pastry. (You should get 6 circles, then re-roll the trimmings for 2 more.) Brush edges of the circles with a little of the beaten egg, then spoon a couple of teaspoonfuls of filling mixture onto each. Fold over one half of the pastry, and seal by pinching the edge with your fingers, until you have 8 small pastyshaped empanadas. Arrange on a baking parchment lined baking sheet, brush with the rest of the egg and scatter with sesame seeds. Cover and chill for at least 30 mins before baking.
• To serve, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 and bake for 20 mins until golden and crisp.

CREAM CHEESE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Cream margarine and cream cheese in bowl.
• Blend in flour and salt.
• Chill for 2 hours to overnight.
• Roll dough on floured surface. Cut with biscuit cutter.
• Spoon apple filling; seal edges with fork.
• Place on baking sheet.
• Mix egg white and 1 T. water. Brush over empanadas.
• Sprinkle with mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.