Vegetable Empanadas With Tomato Sauce Recipes

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.

VEGETABLE EMPANADAS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil.
• When translucent add potato, carrot, and squash. Mix well and add vegetable broth.
• Cook for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and broth evaporated.
• Add peas and parley and let it cool down.
• While vegetable filling is cooling down, cut each puff pastry sheet into four 5"circles.
• Add 1 Tbs of filling in the center of every circle.
• Brush the edge of each ½ circle with a little water, fold in half and seal pressing with a fork.
• Place on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until they are puffy and golden.
• Meanwhile make tomato sauce by sautéing, over medium heat, onion and garlic with the olive oil. After 5 minutes add tomatoes, wine and broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Move off the heat and let it cool down a little. Pour carefully in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour onto a sauté pan, add tomato paste, basil and oregano and stir over medium heat until hot.
• Serve the empanadas with tomato sauce as a dip.

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.

"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.