Baked Empanadas Recipes

BAKED MEAT-FILLED EMPANADAS (EMPANADAS AL HORNO)

Steps:

• Melt lard in a 10- to 12-inch skillet. Add onion and sauté on medium until it barely starts to color. Add beef. Cook until ingredients are lightly browned. Add salt and pepper to taste, cumin, paprika and hot sauce. Set aside. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Roll dough as thin as possible. Cut 6-inch circles. Scraps can be re-rolled one time. Place some meat mixture on one half of each circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border around filling. Top with a slice of egg, some olive pieces and a few raisins. Brush egg on empty side of circle, fold dough over to make a half-circle and crimp edges. Traditional squared empanadas can be made by folding an inch or so of each of the pointed ends of the half-circle over to make straight sides, then folding up the rounded bottom to square off the empanada.
• Arrange empanadas on a baking sheet. Squared empanadas should be placed with folded side down. Bake 10 minutes. Turn empanadas over, bake 5 minutes longer, until lightly browned on both sides. Allow to cool briefly before serving.

BASIC EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Make the filling: In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, cook meat until no longer pink, breaking it up into small pieces, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add onion and jalapenos; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder and tomatoes. Cook over medium until mixture has thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in cilantro. Let cool.
• Make the dough: In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingers, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add just enough cold water so dough comes together.
• Form empanadas. If desired, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, 2 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic; freeze in plastic bags.
• To bake fresh or frozen empanadas, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush tops with egg wash, avoiding crimped edges. Bake until golden brown, rotating sheets halfway through, 30 to 40 minutes.

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.

BAKED CORN EMPANADITAS

Steps:

• Combine the masa harina, water and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir until smooth. The dough should be slightly sticky and form a ball when pressed together. To test, flatten a small ball of dough between your palms. If the edges crack, add water to the dough, a tablespoon at a time, until a test piece does not crack. Cover with a damp towel until ready to use.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the onion and saute until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Ad the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, salt and pepper and saute 1 minute longer to release the aromas. Add the tomato, potatoes and corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid from the tomatoes is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley and cheese and correct the seasoning. Set aside to cool.
• Divide the dough into 24 golfball size pieces, moistening your hands with water to prevent sticking if necessary. Flatten balls to 3 inch disks. Place a heaping teaspoon of stuffing on the empanada and close by pressing the edges together with your fingers. Shape into a half moon. Repeat until all the half moons are formed. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the empanaditas on top. Brush with the glaze and prick with a fork to make steam holes. Bake for about 2530 minutes, or until golden. Remove and transfer to a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

BAKED CHICKEN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine chicken, Neufchatel cheese, and salsa in a saucepan over medium heat until cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and stir until well combined.
• Lay out empanada discs and place 1 tablespoons of chicken filling onto each disc. Fold dough over filling to close. Wet fingers with water and run them along the edges to help seal. Press edges together using the tines of a fork. Place empanadas on the prepared baking sheet and brush with heavy whipping cream.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

EMPANADAS

Steps:

• DAY BEFORE: Cream butter and cream cheese together until smoothly blended. Beat in the flour. Shape dough into a smooth ball, wrap in foil or cling wrap, and refrigerate overnight or up to a week.
• AT BAKING TIME: Remove dough from refrigerator 30 minutes before using. Start heating oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Roll chilled dough thin. Cut with 3 or 4 inch round cookie cutter. Place small spoonful of jam in center of each round, moisten edges with water.
• Fold round over and press edges together. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 15 to 20 minutes. Immediately roll in sugar mixed with cinnamon (traditional) OR in confectioners' sugar if preferred.