This recipe came about accidently. While I was searching for an appetizer to go along with our Honduran night, I found a similar recipe. With a few tweaks, it was the star of the show at a recent Friday Night Porch Party. Using the puff pastry was so much easier than making the dough. I love how the pastry is crispy on the outside but soft and tender on the inside. Don’t be intimidated by this recipe. They really are easy.
Easy Empanadas
Ingredients:
2-sheet package premade puff pastry, thawed
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup tomato sauce
Bunch of cilantro
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Dash of cumin
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten and set aside for your egg wash
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet or Dutch oven, brown the meat with the onions, bell pepper and garlic. Drain any fat. Return to the pan and mix in remaining ingredients, except the egg. Simmer the mixture on low while working with the pastry. Lay the puff pastry sheets on your work surface and cut into 2-inch circles with a cookie cutter. I was able to get 10 circles out of each sheet. Top half of the circles with about a tablespoon of the meat mixture. Place the remaining pastry halves on top of the meat sealing the edges closed with a fork. Transfer to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush each empanada with the egg wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the empanadas are brown on top. Transfer to a serving plate and serve warm.