Easy Empanadas

A couple of weeks ago, we Kitchens went out on the North Fork of Long Island to take advantage of the lovely not-quite-Fall weather, wineries and pumpkin picking.   Restaurants aren’t exactly plentiful for a good portion of the wine trail on the North Fork, so I thought it might be a good idea to pack snacks.  (Otherwise we’d be two car-fulls of drunks on a Sunday afternoon.)  I decided on empanadas because they pack a pretty filling punch and are fairly easy to make in decent size numbers.  The wineries were super gorgeous! There were pumpkins and delicious looking squash and acres and acres of beautiful vineyards.

 

Now, I know I’m going to catch flack for my recipe.  I don’t use chorizo because I find a lot of it too greasy.  I also buy the dough — I’m sorry, but I’ve tried making it and no amount of kneading or tampering with recipes can get the dough to be like La Fey’s.  So do yourself a favor and just go and buy La Fey discs for these.  Trust me, it’s 10 times easier and they work beautifully in the oven. Goya also makes a decent empanada dough.

Chicken and Sausage Empanadas

Chicken & Sausage Empanadas

The Dough/Discs

2-3 packages of the large La Fey discs.  The filling recipe below makes enough for about 24  (20 if you’re packing it in)  Extras can be frozen.

The Filling

4 chicken breasts (medium/large size), cut into small chunks

5 – 6 Italian sausages (hot), diced/chopped into small pieces

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup Chardonnay or other fairly dry white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 large Spanish onion (diced)

2 heaping tablespoons garlic cloves (diced)

3 Bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cumin

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 cup Spanish green olives with pimentos (pitted)

1/8 cup capers

1 green pepper (diced)

Egg Wash

1 egg lightly beaten with a teaspoon of water

 

I find that most of the La Fey discs are pretty well frozen when I buy them, so let these defrost while you’re cooking the mixture.  For the filling, in a large (12-14″ pan), heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and add diced onions and garlic and saute until onions are softened (5 minutes).  Add diced chicken and sausage and cook on medium high heat, stirring, for about 2 minutes.  Add wine, chicken stock, pepper, cumin, bay leaves, green pepper, olives, capers, salt (basically all remaining ingredients).  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, until meat is cooked and sauce has thickened (about 30 mintues).  After it’s cooked, let the mixture cool uncovered for about 20-30 minutes.

Take this time to pull apart the dough discs.  If you’re using La Fey, they’re generally not separated in the package by wax paper, so be very careful when pulling them apart or the discs will tear.  Preheat the oven to 350°.   Prepare baking trays for cooking — if you’re making 24 empanadas, you’ll likely need three pans.  Lightly lightly grease the pans.   For filling the empanadas — if you’ve got a calzone mold, this will be super easy.  Place the disc in the mold, spoon in about 3 tablespoons filling and close the mold, which will seal the seams.  If you don’t have a mold, it’s really just as simple.  Spoon the mixture on to one side, and fold the other half over so it forms a half-circle.  Use a fork to seal the edges (just like you would a pie dough for a two-crust pie).  Place on baking sheet and repeat for remaining empanadas.  Brush with the egg wash and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the empanadas are golden. You can serve these warm or at room temp, and they freeze beautifully!

Onions for empanadas

Chicken and sausage empanada filling

Filling the empanadas

Molded empanadas

Chicken and Sausage Empanadas

Cooking Into His Heart

As the size of my butt can attest, I love food.  Some of my fondest memories of when I first began dating Mr. Kitchen, my almost-husband, involve cooking for him.  He swears the first thing I made for him was Empanadas, but I think it was sausage and peppers.  In either case, I do remember he always asked for seconds.   He still does.  I think I did, in some way, cook my way into his heart.   He says that my cooking showed him I cared for him — that I wanted to take care of him.  I think that’s likely true for a lot of people, but let’s face it — the cliche “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” exists for a reason.  I know lots of women who agonize over cooking for their would-be boyfriend for the first-time.  They want to bring their A-game, to somehow make their guy all weak-kneed in their domestic goddess presence.  For any of you who might be searching for that perfect, but not terribly hard “wow” recipe, I present “You’re Gonna Remember Me Berry Brown Bettys.”

Strawberry Blueberry Challah Bread Brown Bettys

This recipe is great for two reasons: you can prep much of this beforehand; and it’s super fast to make.  I can’t imagine any man who would turn this down, when served warm with fresh whipped cream.  It’s got a magical mixture of Challah bread, berries, butter, sugar…. really could anything be better?  Plus, that leftover Challah? Well I’ve got another recipe for you in case the date goes really well and he’s there for breakfast.

You’re Gonna Remember Me Brown Bettys  (AKA Strawberry Blueberry Challah Bread Brown Bettys)

Adapted from Gourmet and Smitten Kitchen

Makes six individual desserts

Challah Loaf

3/4 stick salted butter

1/8 cup light brown sugar

4 tbsp All-purpose flour

1/2 cup Japanese bread crumbs (Panko)

1/2 cup blueberries, rinsed

1 cup strawberries, rinsed, stemmed and sliced

1 teaspoon lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Whipped cream (this can be refrigerated for a couple of hours beforehand if you’re making it fresh)

A muffin tin  (preferably holding six muffins, but 12 will do)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat until golden.  Remove from heat.  Use a brush to coat the muffin tin.  (Note: If you’re using a 12-muffin tin, only coat six of the spaces unless you are doubling this recipe.)  Slice six pieces off Challah loaf and gently cut crusts off.  Roll the bread with a rolling pin until flattened.  Brush both sides of the bread with butter and gently press slices into muffin tin (one slice in each space).  Stir together brown sugar, flour and Panko.  If using zest, incorporate into dry ingredients, otherwise, incorporate lemon juice into strawberries and blueberries.  Add remaining butter to mixture.  Toss ingredients gently to coat berries in flour/Panko/sugar mixture.  Spoon heaping spoonfuls into muffin tin, pressing down gently to pack mixture in.

Note:  If you are using a 12 muffin tin and are only making six Brown Bettys, be sure to fill the empty spaces about halfway full with water.  This will prevent scorching in the pan and burning your Bettys!

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then remove foil and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until strawberries are tender.  (Some of the blueberries may burst — don’t worry, they taste better that way!)  Let stand for 5-7 minutes and top with whipped cream.  These are best when served warm.

Rolled out Challah bread

Pressing the Challah bread into the muffin tin

Baked Strawberry Blueberry Challah Bread Brown Bettys

Finished Challah Bread Strawberry Blueberry Brown Bettys