Vegetable And Cheese Empanadas Food

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.

LEEK, PROSCIUTTO AND CHEESE EMPAñADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• In a small heavy skillet cook leek and prosciutto in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until leek is softened. Add water and cook, covered, over low heat until leek is soft, about 10 minutes. Pour off any excess water. Remove skillet from heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Let filling cool completely and stir in cheese.
• Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured surface into a 12-inch square and with a 4-inch round cutter cut out 4 rounds.
• Divide filling among rounds, mounding it in the center, and brush edges of rounds with water. Fold rounds in half, pressing edges together firmly, and crimp edges with tines of fork to seal well.Empanadas may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and dept covered and chilled.
• Arrange empanadas on a dampened baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Prick top of each empanada several times with fork (for steam vents). Bake empanadas in upper third of oven until puffed and golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

EMPANADAS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook about 6 minutes, until translucent. Crumble in the beef and add the paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook until the beef is browned about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Drain off the excess grease. Stir in the vinegar. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for about 1 hour, until chilled. Stir in the olives and hard boiled egg whites.
• If baking the empanadas, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. and coat 2 baking sheets with vegetable oil.
• When working with the empanada disks, always keep all but the disk you're working with covered with a damp towel (not too wet). If the disks are very firm, place them 1 at a time on a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll them to 1/2 to 1 inch larger than they are - to make them a little more pliable.
• To fill: lay an empanada disk on the work surface. Place about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of the meat mixture in the center of the dough disk. Tuck a cube of cheese into the center of the filling. Use your finger to wet the edges of the disk with water and fold over to seal. Gently press the tines of a fork along the edge to crimp. Lay the empanada on a baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough disks.
• Brush the tops of the empanadas with vegetable oil and bake until golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. Serve hot!
• If frying the empanadas, fill a skillet 3/4 inch deep with vegetable oil and heat to 360 degrees F, over medium heat. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with paper towels. Fry the empanadas in the oil until golden brown and crisp - about 4 to 6 minutes, turning once. Remove with tongs, letting the excess oil drip off back into the pan. Transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet and kepp warm in the oven while you fry the remaining empanadas. Serve hot.

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.