Spinach Cheese Empanadas

Spinach Cheese Empanadas

Popeye and Olive Oyl!!

I am grateful to E.C.Segar, creator of these characters.

Thanks to his Popeye and Olive Oyl, my kids, (when they were younger and did not understand that hubby and I were hoodwinking them) ate greens as they wanted to be like Popeye not Olive Oyl!

Now they will feed me the greens if I try the stunt on them.

It’s difficult to believe my little one is in seventh and is as tall as I am. Must tell her because I fed her Spinach.

Coming to today’s recipe …

I made this long time ago when there is fresh spinach available in the fields. Actually I had made it for International Marathon we had. Never got round to posting it.

 I will love to “ #FireUpYourOven” again for these.

Spinach Cheese Empanadas

Recipe source : here 

Ingredients:

Empanada Dough:

• 2 ¾cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup salted butter
• 1tsp salt
• Pinch chilli powder
• Spinach Cheese Filling:
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tblspn olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 200 grms fresh spinach stems removed, washed, chiffonade
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 225 grms mozzarella cheese, shredded or crumbled
• 2 tblspn Parmesan cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste

Spinach Cheese Empanadas

Method:

Make the dough:

• Heat water and butter in a small bowl over medium heat until butter has melted.
• Mix flour and salt and chilli powder in a large mixing bowl.
• Make a well in the Pour a little of the warm liquid in and stir with fingertips to make a wet paste.
• Pour in remaining liquid and work the flour into the dough with your hand until you get wet, oily dough. 
• Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Make the filling:

• Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium kadhai/wok and sauté over medium-high heat until melted.
• Add the minced garlic and red chilli powder and sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant.
• Add the spinach and sauté until all the greens are wilted.
• Remove from heat. Stir the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and cooked spinach together.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble the empanadas:

• Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F.
• Tear off pieces of dough to roll about 12 large or 24 small balls of dough.
• Using a rolling pin, roll out dough balls on lightly floured surface into circles thick circles as too thin dough because this filling can expand and burst the pastry if the dough is too thin or the empanada is over-stuffed with filling.
• Place 2-3 tbsp of filling in the centre of each dough circle.
• Fold over and press edges firmly to seal.
• Rope, pinch the edges tightly.
•  In this case, a good tight seal will also prevent oozing of cheese during the baking process. Place empanadas on cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
• Makes 12 large or 24 small empanadas.

Day 15

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 51

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