Please enjoy not one but TWO amazing empanada recipes from Colleen- the excellent taste behind FoodieTots.com.
When you think about it, is there a more perfect food than the empanada? Miniature stuffed pastries, sweet or savory, make the perfect party appetizer – or fist-sized meal for children on the go. And full-size empanadas can be a meal-on-the-run for grown ups as well. When I was thinking about the ideal companions to mushrooms in these funghi empanadas, I thought of my favorite pizza toppings – mushrooms, olives and Italian sausage. I love to cook with Italian sausage because it’s pre-seasoned, making it a time-saving way to impart flavor to the finished dish. I also decided to make a sweeter one with caramelized onions, Brie and shitake mushrooms, for variety (and to provide a vegetarian option).
Whether you use store-bought pastry dough, as I have, or make it from scratch, empanadas are a fun kitchen project for young children who can roll, cut and help fill the dough. As with the toppings for the portabella pizzas I shared in my last post, letting kids choose their own fillings makes it more likely they’ll sample the finished product, and may even encourage them to try something new.
Recipe: Shitake, Brie and Caramelized Onion Empanadas
Ingredients:
- 1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 6 ounces shitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- 4 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 1-inch slices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chardonnay
- pinch fresh thyme, finely chopped
- sea salt and pepper
Instructions: In a medium sauté pan, slowly cook onions and olive oil over low heat, stirring infrequently, until onions are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium low, deglaze pan with wine, and stir in mushrooms and thyme. Cook about 2 minutes more, just until mushrooms have absorbed the liquid. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
Roll the thawed pastry dough out on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 5-inch circles (I use a small glass bowl for this). In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash. Scoop one tablespoon full of mushroom-onion filling into the center of each pastry circle. Place a slice of Brie on top. Brush the edge with egg wash, fold, and crimp the edges. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg wash. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Let cool slightly before serving. Makes 8 empanadas.
*BONUS ROUND*
Ingredients:
- 1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions
- 2 Italian sausage links
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cup finely chopped cremini or button mushrooms
- ¼ cup finely chopped black olives
- sea salt and pepper
Instructions: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Squeeze sausage out of its casing and crumble in the skillet. Cook several minutes, until browned. Strain off any excess grease, then add red pepper and cook 2-3 minutes more, until peppers are soft. Add mushrooms and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and add olives. (If, like me, you have olive haters in your household, keep the olives separate and add them only to half the empanadas.)
Follow instructions above to prepare pastry circles and egg wash. Place sausage-mushroom filling in the center of each circle, brush edges with egg wash, fold over and crimp edges. (If you need to distinguish the olive ones from the olive-free, carve a small “O” in the olive ones with a paring knife.) Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Let cool slightly before serving. Makes 8 empanadas. Enjoy!
