Empanadas

Empanadas are a favorite dinner in our family! We have a favorite crust that we use but we make the filling different every time.

Empanada Dough

Ingredients
1c flour
1 stick butter - cubed
4oz cream cheese 

So easy- just mix the three ingredients all up, either by hand or use a food processor with a dough attachment, chill an hour, and then roll out. I use a bowl as a template to cut circles out of the dough with a knife. 

Since the cream cheese comes in 8oz packs where I shop, I always make two batches and freeze one. You can use this recipe for Empanadas, Chicken Pot Pie, even Dessert Fruit Pies...



Empanada Filling

Ingredients
2 Chicken thighs chopped into small pieces and cooked
1 Leek sliced and cooked
2 cloves Garlic crushed and cooked
1 Large carrot shredded
1c chopped Mushrooms
1c Peas
Heavy cream, sherry, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, flour roux, herbes de provence (HDP)
Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Cook the chicken in a little olive oil or butter, set aside. Cook the garlic and leeks in olive oil until soft, then add in the mushroom and some balsamic vinegar and cook until the mushrooms are how you like them. Add the chicken back in and in the shredded carrot and stir. Pour in some cream, a splash of sherry or wine, and some flower (in a roux). Mix them all up, add your spices and adjust the thickness of the sauce until it is not runny by cooking it down or adding more flour or sometimes add in some cheese. Let cool.

Wet the edges of half a circle of dough, add a spoon-full or two of filling in the center, fold over and press the edges together. Prick the top of the empanada with a fork a couple of times. Transfer to a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. I like to put an egg wash over the empanada and grind some salt over the top before I place in the over to cook for ~10 minutes or until the dough looks nice and golden.

We eat ours with an arugula side salad and vinagrette dressing.