Chorizo Spinach And Cheese Empanadas Food

CHORIZO, SPINACH AND CHEESE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in spinach and salsa. Stir in cheese.
• On ungreased large cookie sheet, unroll pie crusts. Cut each pie crust in half. Divide sausage mixture onto half of each crust half, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edge.
• Fold untopped portion of each crust over filling; press with fork, or roll and flute with fingers to seal. Prick tops of empanadas several times with fork. Brush with beaten egg.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with additional salsa, if desired.

SPINACH AND CHEESE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a standing electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until very smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl, as necessary. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour, little by little, and the salt, and process until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a slightly floured surface and knead lightly. Form the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of the reserved bacon drippings in a medium nonstick skillet and, when hot, add the spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is wilted and has released its liquid, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a colander to drain. When the spinach has cooled enough to handle, squeeze to release any excess water, then transfer to a cutting board and finely chop. Set aside.
• Add 2 more teaspoons of the bacon drippings to the same skillet, then add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved spinach, crumbled bacon, cottage cheese, salt and pepper to taste and nutmeg and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a mixing bowl and allow to cool thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and, working on a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough to a thickness of about 1/8-inch thick. Using a small bowl or saucer as a guide, cut the dough into as many 5-inch circles as possible. Gather the scraps of dough together and knead lightly to reform the dough into a disk. Roll out as before and again cut as many rounds as you can. You should be able to get 10 to 12 rounds. Divide the spinach filling evenly among the dough circles. Using your fingers, lightly moisten the edges with some of the beaten egg, then fold 1 side over so that the edges meet, and press to seal. Crimp the edges using the tines of a fork and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all of the empanadas are assembled. Brush the tops of each empanada with some of the beaten egg and bake uncovered until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Serve either warm or at room temperature.

CHORIZO EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gradually beat in flour. Shape into ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate while preparing empanada filling.
• Cook meat and onions in large skillet on medium-high heat 9 to 10 min. or until meat is done, stirring frequently. Drain. Cool completely.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Use 4-inch cookie or biscuit cutter to cut dough into 24 rounds, rerolling scraps as necessary. Spoon 1 Tbsp. meat mixture onto center of each; brush edge with egg. Fold in half; seal edges with fork.
• Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Cut small slits in tops to vent; brush with remaining egg.
• Bake 18 to 20 min. or until golden brown.

POTATO, PEPPER, AND CHORIZO EMPAñADAS

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Cook chorizo in oil in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, 2 minutes, then transfer to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon. Add onions to saucepan and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and very soft, about 15 minutes. Add garlic, bell peppers, bay leaf, salt, and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until peppers are very soft, about 15 minutes. Peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, then stir into onion mixture and cook over moderately low heat, covered, stirring frequently, until potatoes are just barely tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add potato mixture to chorizo and stir to combine. Cool filling to room temperature and discard bay leaf.
• Form and bake empanadas:
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and form each into a disk. Keeping remaining pieces covered, roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 5-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick).
• Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling onto center and fold dough in half, enclosing filling. Press edges together to seal, then crimp decoratively with your fingers or tines of a fork. Transfer empanada to a baking sheet. Make 11 more empanadas in same manner, arranging on 2 baking sheets.
• Lightly brush empanadas with some of egg wash and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer empanadas to a rack to cool at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SPINACH AND HOT DOGS EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Mix together the two flours, in the middle put the egg, salt, the tip of a teaspoon of sugar and the water.
• Mix everything together till you have a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Cook the spinach for about 10/15 minutes in a pan with some oil and let them cool off.
• Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough to 3 mm thick. Cut out 6-inch rounds.
• Brush the dough with some milk. Add some filling to each empanada and fold the dough over in half to enclose the filling. Use a fork to press and seal the edges closed.
• Cook them for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

SPINACH EMPANADAS

Steps:

• For pastry: In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth.
• Gradually beat in flour and salt.
• The mixture will be very thick.
• Knead by hand.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 3 hours.
• For filling: In a medium skillet, cook the onion and garlic in the reserved bacon drippings for 3-4 minutes until onion is tender but not brown.
• Stir in the crumbled bacon, spinach, cottage cheese, pepper and nutmeg.
• Let filling cool.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry until it is 1/8 inch thick.
• Using a 3 inch cutter, cut out as many pastry circles as possible.
• Place 1 tsp filling on one half of each pastry circle.
• Moisten the edges of the circle with beaten egg mixed with a little water (eggwash) and fold the other half over the filling.
• Place on an ungreased baking sheet and seal the edges of the pastry with a fork.
• Brush tops with the egg and prick a small vent in each.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
• Serve warm with salsa for dipping.
• To freeze: After baking, allow to cool. Freeze on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a large freezer bag. Seal & label.
• To reheat: Reheat on a baking sheet at 450 degrees until just heated through. About 10 minutes.