Spinach And Cheese Empanadas Recipes

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.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Prepare Empanada Dough as directed. Cook bacon in medium skillet on medium heat 3 min. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 4 min. or until bacon is crisp. Drain; place in medium bowl. Add spinach, cheese, corn and crushed pepper; mix well.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Shape dough into 24 balls, using about 1 Tbsp. dough for each ball. Press each ball into 4-inch round. Spoon about 1 Tbsp. spinach mixture onto center of each round. Brush edges of dough evenly with half the egg; fold in half. Press tops lightly to remove air pockets. Press edges together to seal. Place on parchment-covered baking sheet; brush with remaining egg.
• Bake 15 min. or until golden brown. Cool slightly.