The Temporary Vegetarian A Portuguese Empada Recipes

THE TEMPORARY VEGETARIAN: A PORTUGUESE EMPADA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. ln a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add onions and garlic, and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, squash, and eggplant, and sauté until tender but have not lost their shape, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, thyme and parsley, and cook until tomatoes soften but do not lose their shape, about 5 minutes. Add red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon flour with 3 tablespoons water. Mix well, and add to the vegetables. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Transfer to a baking sheet to cool until no longer steaming, then place in refrigerator to chill, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Place one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Using a 3 1/2- to 4-inch-in-diameter cookie cutter or cup, cut out six disks. Using a 1-1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut out six more disks. Roll all the disks out to 1/8 inch thick.
• Butter or spray a six-cup muffin pan with 3-inch diameter cups. Place a large disk in each of the holders; the dough should overlap the holder by about an inch. Add one sixth of the chilled vegetables to each cup. Place the small circle of pastry on top of the vegetables, and fold over the edges of the larger circle to fully enclose the empada. (It may be possible to pinch together the edge of the large disk of dough without using the smaller disk.) Brush the tops with beaten egg.
• Bake empadas until golden brown, 25 to 40 minutes. Using a knife, gently loosen from the muffin tins. Transfer to plates, and serve hot. If desired, serve with a salad.

VEGETARIAN EMPANADAS THREE WAYS

Steps:

• Choose the filling for your empanadas. Each recipe for filling above will make one batch of 10-12 empanadas.
• Make the filling using the instructions designated below for your choice.
• Heat oil in a skillet. When hot add onions and garlic and saute until tender. Add spinach and cook until spinach is wilted. Add the artichokes and nutmeg and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan cheese and allow the mixture to cool slightly before assembling empanadas
• Heat oil in a skillet. When hot add onions and garlic and saute 2-3 minutes. Add jalapeno peppers and cook until all the veggies are soft. Add the tomato paste and beans and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
• In a small bowl, mix together the corn, cheese and diced green onions.
• Preheat the oven to 400° F.
• Lay the disks out on a lightly floured work surface.
• Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling into the center of the dough circle.
• Dampen the edges of the circle with water and fold in half to create a half moon shape.
• Use a fork to press the edges closed.
• Place each empanada onto a baking sheet with about 1 ½ inch of space in between.
• Repeat with the remaining empanada dough and filling to make all 10 empanadas.
• Brush the tops of the empanadas with plant-based milk. Place into the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry puffs up and golden brown.

VEGGIE EMPANADA

Steps:

• In a large pot, over medium heat, melt the vegetable shortening. Add the onions, shallots, and garlic and cook until they are soft but not browned.
• Lower the heat and add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, chopped mixed green and red peppers, parsley, wine, stock, and mushrooms.
• Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the carrots, zucchini, squash, and broccoli and cook until the vegetables are al dente. Add the mixed vegetables and spinach and heat through. Drain the vegetables and put them into an ice bath. When cool, drain well.
• Put the vegetables back into the pot along with the creamed corn. Mix in the red pepper flakes, paprika, oregano, Cajun seasoning, and salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Place 1/4 cup vegetable mixture on the middle of each empanada dough disk. Avoid reaching the edges with the filling because oiliness will prevent good sealing. Slightly wet the edges, fold in half, and stick edges together. The shape should resemble a half-moon. Seal by pinching the edge between your thumb and index finger to make a curl about 5 or 6 times. Other sealing procedures like pinching without curling or using a fork to seal will not prevent the juices from leaking.
• Place the finished empanadas on the cookie sheet and brush them with the egg yolk. Cook until they are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

QUICK & EASY VEGETARIAN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F Spread 1 teaspoon of the oil on a baking sheet.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each into an 8in round on a lightly floured surface. On 1 side of each round, spread some of the beans, then top with 1 1/2 tbs of salsa and 2 tbs of cheese.
• Fold each of the rounds in half, covering the filling, and sealing the dough on the curved edge with your thumb. Lightly brush the tops of the empanadas with the remaining oil. Transfer to the already greased baking sheet.
• Bake 12-15 minutes until golden.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sliced avocado if desired.

QUICK VEGETARIAN PICADILLO EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add lentils, sofrito, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper; cook for 4 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in potatoes, tomato sauce, and olives. Simmer until mixture is warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Fill a deep skillet or frying pan with 2 inches vegetable oil and place over medium heat while you assemble the empanadas.
• Set empanada discs on a clean work surface. Add 1/4 cup of lentil-potato mixture to the center of one half of an empanada disc in a half moon shape (so it follows the curve of the wrapper). Wet your fingers in a bowl of water and run them around the entire edge of the wrapper to moisten. Fold the wrapper in half to cover the filling and pinch the edges of the dough together to seal, then use a fork to crimp the edges to secure the wrapper further. Repeat with the remaining discs and filling.
• Once oil has reached 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), add empanadas in a single layer; do not overlap. You will need to cook in batches.
• Fry until empanadas are golden brown and crispy, flipping once or twice so they brown evenly while frying, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat to cook remaining empanadas.

"NOW AND LATER" VEGETARIAN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• In a pot, cover carrots with water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, then lower heat.
• Simmer 10 minutes or until just tender.
• While simmering carrots, pour contents of can of tomatoes into a bowl and squish into little pieces with your hands.
• Wash hands.
• Blend chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne into tomatoes.
• Take the 2 Tbs of flour and blend with 1/4 cup cold water in a small cup.
• Pour this into tomato mixture and stir to blend.
• Drain carrots, and cut into 3/4 in pieces.
• Put both aside for now.
• Melt butter on medium heat in a large fring pan.
• Add onion, mushrooms, zucchini, celery, green pepper, and garlic and saute.
• Stir continuously until onion is limp.
• Stir tomato mixture into frying pan and bring to a simmer.
• Cover and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, then uncover and (stirring constantly) cook for about 5 minutes over med-high heat until liquid has evaporated.
• Stir in carrots and cheese.
• Salt to taste.
• When cheese has melted put pan in refrigerator to quickly cool vegetables.
• Stir now and then to help cool faster.
• Now, begin empanada crust.
• Resift flour with baking powder in a bowl.
• Quickly cut butter and shortening into bowl until it looks like a coarse meal.
• Make a well in the center.
• Add soy sauce and cold water together.
• Stir vigorously with a fork until dough follows the fork around bowl (about 30-40 seconds).
• Personal observation: The dough seems rather"frothy" at this point.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for about 10 folds (or 30 seconds) to remove stickyness.
• Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.
• Make into a ball and roll into an 8 inch circle.
• Spoon about 3/4 cup vegetable filling onto center of circle.
• Moisten edges of circle with water and bring together at top, pinching and fluting edges.
• Note: The original instuctions say to make a sealed semi-circle.
• Mine looked like balls of dough and turned out fine.
• Lift empanada onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• Repeat until done.
• If you fill more than one cookie sheet put the full one in the refrigerator.
• When done, prick the top of each empanada with a fork and brush with egg and water mixture.
• If you are going to cook some of them right away, pre-heat oven to 400 and cook 25 to 30 minutes (until golden brown) on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Take the ones for later and freeze uncovered on cookie sheet overnight.
• When frozen solid wrap in foil or put in freezer bags.
• Label with instructions: Bake uncovered in pre-heated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.
• Let cool some before serving.