Baked Corn Empanaditas Recipes

ARGENTINEAN CORN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon corn oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add corn and roasted red peppers; saute for 5 minutes or until the corn is fully cooked. Season with sugar, salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to medium bowl, stir in cheese and heavy whipping cream. Let cool.
• On a cutting board, place 6 empanada shells side by side. Place a spoonful of the corn-cheese filling on 1 side of the circle. Moisten the tip of your finger with a small amount of water and moisten the edges of the circle with your finger. Fold the dough over the filling to make a half-circle. Press the edges with a fork to seal.
• Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the empanadas on prepared baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make egg wash. Brush the top of the empanadas with the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes or until top is browned.
• Let cool and serve.

CORNMEAL EMPANADAS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, raisins and seasonings; simmer. , Meanwhile, for pastry, combine the flour, cornmeal and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water, a little at a time, until dough forms a ball. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. , Divide pastry into two balls; roll half out on a lightly floured surface to a 16-in. circle. Cut into four 7-1/2-in. rounds. Place 1/2 cup filling on each round. Combine egg and water; brush on pastry edges. Fold dough over to form half circles; crimp edges to seal. Repeat with other half of pastry and remaining filling. , Place on greased baking sheets; brush tops with remaining egg mixture. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve with taco sauce if desired.

CORN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Make the dough: Put 2 cups boiling water, 4 ounces lard and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir to melt lard and dissolve salt. Cool to room temperature.
• Gradually stir in flour with a wooden spoon until dough comes together. Knead for a minute or two on a floured board, until firm and smooth. Add more flour if sticky. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Make the filling: Melt 3 tablespoons lard in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook briskly, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes, corn, garlic, cumin and thyme. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir well. Add about 1 cup broth or water and simmer until potatoes are softened and liquid has evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add roasted peppers, ham, ricotta and cayenne and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning for full flavor (intensity will diminish upon cooling). Stir in Gruyère and scallions. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Divide chilled dough into 1-ounce pieces and form into 2-inch diameter balls. Roll each piece into a 4 1/2-inch circle. Lay circles on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.
• Moisten outer edge of each round with water. Put about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each round. Wrap dough around filling to form empanada, pressing edges together. Fold edge back and finish by pinching little pleats or crimping with a fork.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place empanadas on parchment-lined or oiled baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Brush tops lightly with lard or butter and bake on top shelf of oven until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

BAKED EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cook sausage, onion, green pepper and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned and onion is crisply tender (5 to 6 minutes).
• Drain well.
• Stir in tomato and oregano.
• Set aside.
• Roll 1 sheet puff pastry to 12-inch square.
• Cut into 16 (3-inch) squares.
• Place 1 rounded tablespoon filling in center of each square.
• Fold opposite corners of squares together to form triangles.
• Pinch edges of pastry together; crimp with fork to seal.
• Place triangles onto lightly greased baking sheets.
• Repeat with remaining pastry sheet and filling.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

CHICKEN AND CORN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper flakes, and oregano. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Season with the salt. Cook for 1 minute. Add the red and green peppers and corn. Cook until the peppers soften and any liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes.
• To the same pan, add the chicken and wine, and season with salt. Cook until the chicken is just cooked through and almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Refrigerate the filling until chilled; stir in the cheese. The filling may be prepared and refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days.
• Fill a small bowl with cold water. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Using a 5-inch-diameter plate as a template, cut out 24 circles. Spoon about 1/4 cup chilled filling into the center of a circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush the border with cold water. Fold the dough over, stretching it slightly, to form a half-moon shape. Beginning at one end, press the edges together to seal, while trying to remove any air pockets. Press again to ensure the empanadas are well sealed. Using a fork or your fingers, crimp the edges to form a decorative edge. Repeat with the remaining circles and filling.
• Brush the empanadas with egg wash, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (but no longer than 1 day). Once filled, the empanadas may be frozen and baked later, without defrosting, in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange the empanadas on the baking sheets. Bake until puffed and browned and the filling is bubbling inside, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the lard and butter, and pulse until the mixture is the texture of coarse meal. With the processor running, slowly add enough water to form a firm dough. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface, and knead until the dough comes together and becomes smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.

EMPANADAS ABIERTAS DE HUMITA (CREAMY CORN EMPANADAS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin.
• Line the muffin cups with the 12 pastry rounds.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir green onions until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add corn, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; cook and stir until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until a paste forms, about 1 minute. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly, and cook until a thick sauce forms and starts to bubble, 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the Parmesan cheese and stir until smooth; remove from heat. Stir sauce into corn mixture.
• Fill pastry with corn mixture and top each with remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 15 minutes.