Brazilian Hearts Of Palm Pastries Recipes

HEARTS OF PALM HAND PIES (EMPADINHAS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, work it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
• Add the egg and egg yolk and mix with your hands until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough as we do not want to develop gluten. If needed, you can add a little bit of cold water, about a teaspoon at a time.
• Wrap your dough in plastic and refrigerate for 40 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and cook until they soften, 2-3 minutes.
• Add the hearts of palm and olives and mix to combine.
• Stir in the flour, cooking for about a minute to get rid of the raw flour taste. Then, add the milk and cream cheese, stirring until the cream cheese melts and the mixture is thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the chopped parsley and reserve until cooled to room temperature so you can assemble the hand pies.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Using your hands, cut a small portion of the dough (about 2 tablespoons) and press it into the bottom of an egg tart mold, making sure there is a little extra hanging off the edges.
• Using a spoon, top the bottom crust with as much filling as you can fit. I pile it up high as I like my empadinhas very plump.
• Grab another portion of dough and press it into a disk. Place the disk on top of the assembled pie, pinching to seal edges together. You can then run your fingers across the circumference of the mold to "cut" the excess dough.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, forming about 10 small hand pies. Place them on a baking sheet.
• Brush the pies with egg wash and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

BRAZILIAN HEARTS OF PALM PASTRIES

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and hearts of palm; saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Dissolve cornmeal in a bowl of milk; mix well and pour into the skillet with the hearts of palm. Stir well. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes more. Add cream cheese and chives; stir well to dissolve the cheese. Remove from heat. Let filling cool.
• Roll pastry out onto a floured work surface. Cut into squares. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling on each pastry square. Fold pastry over the filling and seal. Place pastries on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 40 minutes.