Football Fest Empanadas Recipes

FOOTBALL FEST EMPANADAS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the salsa, corn, jalapenos, 2 tablespoons cilantro and lime juice. In another bowl, combine the chicken, remaining cilantro and 1/2 cup salsa mixture; set aside. Reserve remaining salsa for serving., Unroll a pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Using a floured 4-in. round cookie cutter placed halfway on edge of pastry, cut 4x3-in. football shapes. Repeat with remaining dough, chilling and rerolling scraps as needed., Transfer half of the cutouts to greased baking sheets. Place 1 tablespoon chicken mixture in the center of each; top each with 1-1/2 teaspoons cheese. Brush edges of pastry with egg. Top with remaining cutouts; press edges with a fork to seal. Cut slits in the tops to resemble football laces. Brush tops with egg., Bake at 450° for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with reserved salsa mixture. Refrigerate leftovers. Freeze option: Freeze cooled pastries in a freezer container, separating layers with waxed paper. To use, reheat pastries on a greased baking sheet in a preheated 400° oven until crisp and heated through.

SOUTHWEST EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mix together the beans, cheese and chicken. Working in batches, lay out the empanada wrappers on a clean work surface. Place a heaping tablespoon of the bean filling into the center of each wrapper. Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape and press the edge to seal. Using a fork, crimp the edge to completely seal. Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheets.
• In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 2 tablespoons water. Brush the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE FOOTBALL EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in a large bowl until well combined. Using a large spoon, stir in the garlic, cheeses, spinach and artichoke hearts. Season to taste and set aside.
• Place one empanada disc on a clean dry work surface, keeping the remaining dough covered with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Using a 4-inch football-shaped cookie cutter, punch out 2 footballs per dough disc. Set aside the excess dough; you will need this to create laces for the top of the football. Spread 1 1/2 to 2 heaping tablespoons cheese filling on one of the football cutouts, leaving a 1/4-inch border all the way around the edge. Place the other football cutout on top of the filling, stretching if necessary. Press down on the edges using a fork to fuse the 2 pieces together and make a decorative border around the empanadas.
• Use the excess dough to create 1 longer and 3 shorter strips. Put the longer strip running down the length of the football, then the 3 shorter strips across the longer one. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough discs. Place the finished footballs on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the egg wash. Bake until the empanadas are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.