Easy appetizer recipe for Vegetarian Empanadas.

This and a select few recipes are the exception to my whole grain rule. Some things just don't work if you mess with them and this is one of them. I buy organic King Arthur All-Purpose flour, as it has an amazing silky texture and my mother said that it smells like the flour they used to use when she was young and still lived in Poland. If I am going to eat white flour, it has to be for one of my coveted favorites, otherwise it's knobby-twiggy whole grains for us!

The key to making this recipe great is to not to overwork the dough. My husband's late grandmother Helen was an amazing artist, gardener and chef in her own right. She taught me to make very tender pierogi dough with the gentlest touch. Never add too much flour to the surface and only work the dough enough to make it smooth. She even went to the extent of making triangular pierogi (cutting the dough into squares then folding them over) instead of round so she would not have to re-roll the scraps (which would result in tough, overly elastic dough). I still make mine this way.

At her funeral, all the men of the family and their friends stood around and recounted memories of the wonderful hospitality that she bestowed upon them; and the mouth watering tenderness of her pierogi. I will post my pieorgi recipe next as they are the Polish version of an empanada!

Now onto the easiest appetizer delight that I can't stop eating!

This dough is suitable to be stuffed with a plethora of mouthwatering delights, so you can make your own version of a special appetizer too!

• 3 3/4 c all purpose flour give or take
• 12 tablespoons of sweet, unsalted butter chopped in little cubes
• 6 tablespoons of Earth Balance Organic buttery spread
• 1/2 t fine sea salt
• 1/2 c ice water

Place all ingredients in a food processor with the s blade and pulse until crumbly.

Pour water slowly into the feed tube until a ball forms, and let the processor run for a few more turns, the dough should just be formed into a elongated ball then stop the processor. Remove dough and wrap in plastic wrap and toss in fridge for an hour or so to allow the dough to rest and the flour to absorb the water.

Filling

• 1 package of soy choritzo, it is a vegetarian version of this popular Mexican sasuage. It comes in a casing, cut it in half and remove the filling from the casing and discard casing. Place choritzo in a large bowl.
• Cube 4 organic potatoes and steam until tender (skin on)
• Blitz 1/2 of each: orange, red and green peppers in processor until chipped into small flakes.
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Saute peppers and garlic in 1/4 c olive oil until tender.
• Cool peppers and potatoes, pace in bowl with choritzo, toss in 1 1/2 c cheddar cheese and 1 t cumin, 1 t cinnamon, 1 t red pepper flakes, 1/2 t sea salt and about 12 cranks of fresh cracked pepper.



Remove dough from fridge and cut off a section, roll it out to a 5 mm thickness and cut rounds with a large glass if you want to toss the scraps or smallish squares, perhaps 8 cm across and down if you don't want scraps. Place a teaspoon or so of filling and press to seal. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and brush with egg wash. Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with fresh salsa and sour cream.

Buen apetito!

UPDATE:

I have been making these with a butter/coconut oil mixture instead of all butter, they are still flakey and delicious.



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