Spinach and Cheese Empanadas - Empanadas de Espinaca

By Grandmax4

Ingredients

• 1 Recipe Empanada Dough (see recipe link below)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic -- minced
• 6 ounces baby spinach
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup grated cheese (cheddar -- monteray jack, mozzarella)
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
• Salt and pepper to taste

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

Make the empanada dough and let it chill for several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil on low heat until onions are soft and golden, 5-10 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium and add the spinach. Cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted and soft, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Add the flour to a saucepan. Whisk in the milk gradually until mixture is smooth.

Add the butter and place over medium low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture just comes to a boil and thickens.

Remove from heat and whisk in the eggs. Return to heat and cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. The sauce will be very thick, like a paste.

Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chop the cooled spinach and onion mixture. Stir chopped spinach and onions into the cheese sauce.

Roll out 1/2 of the dough very to 1/4" thick. Cut the dough into 4-5 inch rounds, using a large cookie cutter, bowl, or coffee can. Knead the scraps into a ball and let the dough rest, covered, while you roll out the other half of dough. You should end up with 20 to 24 rounds, depending on the size.

Place 1-2 tablespoons of filling in the middle of a dough round. Brush edges of circle with water. Fold the round in half over the filling, and press down hard along the edges to seal.

Starting at one end of the pressed-down edge, fold the edge towards the middle and press down. Move your fingers over 1/2 inch and fold the edge into the middle again. Continue around the sealed edge of the empanada, folding the edge over itself, to make a twisted rope effect.

Bake the empanadas for 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes more. The empanadas should be golden brown.

Store baked empanadas in the refrigerator or freezer and reheat in the microwave. Unbaked empanadas can also be frozen until ready to bake.