Bacon And Cheese Empanadas Recipes

CHEESEBURGER EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment.
• Stir together the ketchup, mayonnaise, chopped pickles and mustard in a medium bowl. Season with salt and set the sauce aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it starts to shimmer, add the ground beef, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until lightly browned in spots and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Use a large slotted spoon to scoop the meat mixture into a medium bowl and stir in 1/3 cup of the sauce. Allow to cool slightly. Fold the American cheese into the cooled mixture.
• Lightly beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl for the egg wash and set aside.
• Unfold 1 puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a 12-inch square. Cut out 9 rounds with a 4-inch round cookie cutter. Spoon 1 leveled tablespoon of the meat filling just off center on each round. Top the filling with 1 whole pickle chip. Brush the edge of each round with the egg wash and fold the puff pastry over the filling, slightly stretching if necessary. Press the edges together and crimp the edges with a fork. Transfer to one of the prepared baking sheets and brush each empanada with more egg wash. Repeat this process with the remaining sheet of puff pastry and filling. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve hot with the remaining sauce for dipping.

BACON, POBLANO & CHEESE MINI EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Cook and stir bacon in medium skillet on medium heat 5 min. (Bacon should not be cooked until crisp.) Drain and discard drippings from skillet. Add onions and garlic to bacon in skillet; cook and stir 4 min. or until bacon is crisp. Drain bacon mixture; return to skillet. Stir in chiles and cheese; cool.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface to 11-inch square; cut into 12 smaller squares. Brush edges of each square lightly with egg.
• Spoon about 1 Tbsp. bacon mixture onto center of each pastry square; fold diagonally in half. Press gently on tops to remove excess air; seal edges with fork. Bend slightly to resemble half moons. Make small cut in top of each to vent steam. Place on parchment-covered baking sheet; brush with any remaining egg.
• Bake 20 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.

BACON AND EGG EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Stir together the first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl until blended; stir in cheese.
• Melt butter in a 9 inch skillet over medium heat; add eggs and cook without stirring until eggs begin to set on bottom. Draw spatula across bottom of skillet to form large curds. Continue cooking until eggs are slightly thickened but still moist. (Do NOT stir constantly).
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• Flatten each bisquit into about a 5 inch circle.
• Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the tops of dough circles, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges.
• Top evenly with eggs and bacon.
• Fold dough circles in half over mixture, pinching edges to seal.
• Place 2 inches apart in a 15 x 10 jelly roll pan coated with pam.
• Brush top of doughs evenly with egg white.
• Press sealed edges with the tines of a fork.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake at 375 14-16 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove empanadas with a spatula onto a wire rack.
• Serve Warm.
• Leftovers store in a ziplock bag after completely cooled, then place in the refridgerator.
• To reheat wrap in paper towel and microwave at 50% power for 1-2 minutes.
• *These are good for OAMC*.

BACON AND EGG EMPAñADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. and butter a baking pan.
• On a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin roll out each empanada wrapper into a 7-inch round. Finely grate Cheddar and in a bowl whisk together with eggs and salt and pepper to taste. Chop scallions. In a nonstick skillet heat 1 teaspoon butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté bacon until golden, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer bacon to a plate and add remaining 2 teaspoons butter to skillet. Heat butter until foam subsides and sauté scallions 15 seconds. Add egg mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until eggs just begin to set but are still very loose, about 30 seconds. Arrange 1 piece bacon 1/4 inch from edge of 1 empanada wrapper and spoon half of egg mixture on top of bacon. Fold empanada wrapper over filling to create a half-moon shape and seal by pressing edges together firmly with a fork. Make another empanada in same manner.
• Transfer empanadas to baking pan and cut a few small slits in top of each empanada to create steam vents. Bake empanadas in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes.

CHEESY SPINACH AND BACON EMPANADAS

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.