Buena Vista Social Club: Empanadas de Queso y Espinaca (Cheese & Spinach Empanadas)

10-12 Servings

For Dough:

3 cups AP Flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 ounces butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

For Filling:

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 medium shallots, thinly sliced

6 cups spinach, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup raisins

3 cups peconrino romano or machego cheese, grated

2 eggs, only needed if baking

2 teaspoons milk, only needed if baking

canola oil, for frying

Add flour and salt into food processor with dough hook attachment and pulse to combine. Then add butter and vinegar, adding water as needed until it form into a nice dough. Form into a ball and chill 30 minutes. (You can split dough in half and freeze the other half for later use, if desired.)

Heat butter in pan, then add pine nuts to coat for about 1 minute. Then add onion and continue to sauté. Do not let brown. Lower heat and add spinach until wilted. Then add raisins and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

Remove dough from fridge, let sit a minute or two. If using all the dough, divide into four balls (if half, two). Roll dough on floured surface to about 1/8" thickness and then cut out a 6"circle. Repeat until you have 10-12 circles.

Fill each circle in the center with 1/2 spinach mix and 1/2 cheese. Then carefully fold in half to make half-moons. Using a fork, crimp down the edges to seal.

For frying: Heat about 1-inch of oil in frying pan. When hot, fry empanadas for about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper.

For baking: Pre-heat oven to 375*. Beat egg & milk together and brush the tops of the empanadas lightly. Bake empanadas on greased or nonstick baking pan for 15-20 minutes until done.

Found at: http://chef-du-cinema.blogspot.com/2011/04/class-buena-vista-social-club.html

All original content © Copyright 2010-11 by Ron Deutsch. Permission required for any republishing.