Chelis Vegetable Baked Empanadas Food

CHILEAN EMPANADA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat; cook the onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper in the melted butter until the onion is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the ground pork and cook until completely browned, 7 to 10 minutes more; drain the fat from the skillet. Stir the eggs, raisins, and olives into the mixture. Whisk the water and cornstarch together in a small bowl; pour into the skillet and stir until the liquid thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Whisk the milk and melted shortening together in a bowl until evenly blended. Stir the flour and salt together in a separate large bowl. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk until well mixed into a dough. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place the dough onto a lightly-floured board and roll to about 1/8-inch thick; cut into circles with a round cookie cutter or glass. Drop equal portions of the pork mixture into the center of each circle. Fold each circle in half and press edges with a fork to seal. Brush the tops of the empanadas with beaten egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

VEGETABLE AND CHEESE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 egg; mix well. Gradually add water, mixing well after each addition. Shape into ball; wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Heat dressing in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions; cook and stir 3 to 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Add spinach and carrots; cook and stir 5 min. Remove from heat; cool.
• Heat oven to 375ºF. Roll out half the dough on lightly floured surface to 1/16-inch thickness; cut into12 (4-inch) rounds with biscuit cutter. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Add cheese to spinach mixture; mix well. Spoon onto centers of dough rounds, adding about 1-1/2 Tbsp. spinach mixture to each round. Beat remaining egg until blended; brush onto outer parts of dough rounds. Fold dough rounds in half; press edges together to seal. Make small cut in top of each empanada to vent the steam. Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray; brush with any remaining egg.
• Bake 15 min. or until golden brown.

CHEESE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Mixing by hand, combine 2 cups warm water, the shortening and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly add the flour, mixing quickly to avoid lumps. Knead until the ingredients are evenly combined. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then shape into small balls (about 3 ounces each).
• Using a hand tortilla press, place a piece of waxed paper on the bottom, center a dough ball on top and cover with another piece of waxed paper. Gently press down to flatten the ball into a thin circle (not too thin or it will crack). Alternatively, you can use a wooden board or large plate to press the dough.
• Remove the top paper and add 1 tablespoon of the cheese to the middle of the pressed dough. Carefully fold one edge of the circle over the cheese to the other edge, and press the edges together to close the empanada. Using a small bowl, place it over the empanada close to the edge and press down slightly to cut the edge and evenly seal it. Repeat with the remaining dough and cheese. Set the empanadas on a large platter and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, add enough vegetable oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F. Gently remove the wax paper from each empanada and fry two to four at a time (depending on the pan size) until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

VEGGIE EMPANADA

Steps:

• In a large pot, over medium heat, melt the vegetable shortening. Add the onions, shallots, and garlic and cook until they are soft but not browned.
• Lower the heat and add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, chopped mixed green and red peppers, parsley, wine, stock, and mushrooms.
• Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the carrots, zucchini, squash, and broccoli and cook until the vegetables are al dente. Add the mixed vegetables and spinach and heat through. Drain the vegetables and put them into an ice bath. When cool, drain well.
• Put the vegetables back into the pot along with the creamed corn. Mix in the red pepper flakes, paprika, oregano, Cajun seasoning, and salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Place 1/4 cup vegetable mixture on the middle of each empanada dough disk. Avoid reaching the edges with the filling because oiliness will prevent good sealing. Slightly wet the edges, fold in half, and stick edges together. The shape should resemble a half-moon. Seal by pinching the edge between your thumb and index finger to make a curl about 5 or 6 times. Other sealing procedures like pinching without curling or using a fork to seal will not prevent the juices from leaking.
• Place the finished empanadas on the cookie sheet and brush them with the egg yolk. Cook until they are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

QUICK & EASY VEGETARIAN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F Spread 1 teaspoon of the oil on a baking sheet.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each into an 8in round on a lightly floured surface. On 1 side of each round, spread some of the beans, then top with 1 1/2 tbs of salsa and 2 tbs of cheese.
• Fold each of the rounds in half, covering the filling, and sealing the dough on the curved edge with your thumb. Lightly brush the tops of the empanadas with the remaining oil. Transfer to the already greased baking sheet.
• Bake 12-15 minutes until golden.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sliced avocado if desired.

QUICK VEGETARIAN PICADILLO EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add lentils, sofrito, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper; cook for 4 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in potatoes, tomato sauce, and olives. Simmer until mixture is warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Fill a deep skillet or frying pan with 2 inches vegetable oil and place over medium heat while you assemble the empanadas.
• Set empanada discs on a clean work surface. Add 1/4 cup of lentil-potato mixture to the center of one half of an empanada disc in a half moon shape (so it follows the curve of the wrapper). Wet your fingers in a bowl of water and run them around the entire edge of the wrapper to moisten. Fold the wrapper in half to cover the filling and pinch the edges of the dough together to seal, then use a fork to crimp the edges to secure the wrapper further. Repeat with the remaining discs and filling.
• Once oil has reached 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), add empanadas in a single layer; do not overlap. You will need to cook in batches.
• Fry until empanadas are golden brown and crispy, flipping once or twice so they brown evenly while frying, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat to cook remaining empanadas.

BAKED EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cook sausage, onion, green pepper and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned and onion is crisply tender (5 to 6 minutes).
• Drain well.
• Stir in tomato and oregano.
• Set aside.
• Roll 1 sheet puff pastry to 12-inch square.
• Cut into 16 (3-inch) squares.
• Place 1 rounded tablespoon filling in center of each square.
• Fold opposite corners of squares together to form triangles.
• Pinch edges of pastry together; crimp with fork to seal.
• Place triangles onto lightly greased baking sheets.
• Repeat with remaining pastry sheet and filling.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.