Empanadas!




Oh empanadas! How I love your pocketfull of goodness...Every culture has a version of you - rolled out dough folded over a sweet or savory filling. Peas and potatoes go into samosas, cherry pie filling go into American turnovers and beef, preserves or fruit pie filling go into empanadas...from Mexico down to Chile. I was craving pumpkin empanadas, so I whipped these up using whole wheat, soy and white flours. They turned out just as flaky and tasty as using all white flour, not to mention a bit more nutritious.

I also used part agave nectar, molasses and local honey instead of all brown sugar for the pumpkin filling. Scrumptious.

You need a rolling pin and some time to roll out the two dozen mini pie crusts. Also use two different kinds of filling - the pumpkin filling I used for this recipe is enough for one dozen. Grab a can of pie filling or homemade preserves for the other dozen and a little variety. If you don't eat them all up that day, stick them in the oven heated to 350 degrees for 8 minutes to crisp them up again. Great with coffee, milk or tea...

Some people may be a bit put off by the rolling out by hand part, but that's the most difficult aspect of this super easy recipe - and after the first couple tries, you'll get the hang of it...

Spice the pumpkin filling recipe or down depending on how you like your filling - I used lots of fresh grated nutmeg, cardomom and cinnamon for this...and it gave the pumpkin flavor a nice pop.

Pumpkin Empanadas

3 cups flour (I used 2 cups regular and 3/4 c whole wheat, 1/4 c soy flour)

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 T sugar

Mix the dry ingredients and cut in, with fingers,

1/2 c shortening

When it resembles cornmeal, add in with a fork

2 eggs

1/2 c milk

When the dough pulls together, take it in your hands and form into a ball, split into two, wrap in plastic and refridgerate for at least 20 minutes.

Make pumpkin filling - mix and simmer 10 minutes - but let cool before filling empanadas:

1/3 c brown sugar

1/4 c agave nectar

1 T honey

1 T molasses

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t cardomom

1/8 t nutmeg

1/8 t cloves

Let cool and drop in 2 or 3 T dollops onto rolled out empanada dough - 12 six to eight inch circles about as thin as a pie crust.



Like I said, experiment with the fillings to make them your own...Brush with egg whites, sprinkle with sugar and give each empanada a small slit a knife to allow steam to escape while baking. Bake in a 350 degree oven 20 minutes or until golden brown and filling bubbly.

Enjoy!