Mini Empanadas
These are just too good not to make sometime. They are labor intensive, as is any food prepared in individual servings, but really pretty simple - and so delicious! Kids go nuts for them - cute little nuggets of meaty/cheesy goodness they can carry around and eat without a fork. They are good at room temperature, so they could be packed in a box dinner for after the game.
Ingredients
- 1 package refrigerated pie dough in large sheets
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup thick and chunky salsa
- 1 can sliced ripe olives
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
- All-purpose flour for dusting
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet or medium high heat. Drain well, patting with paper towels to remove as much grease as possible. Return to the skillet and combine with salsa and olives. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Check seasoning. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
- Roll dough out on a flour dusted surface. With a 3 inch round cutter, cut out 18 circles, re-rolling scraps as needed. Place about 1 tablespoon of the beef mixture in the center of each circle. Moisten edges with water. Fold circles in half and pinch to seal. Pierce tops with fork.
- Place empanadas on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Serve hot.
Notes
- Canned olives are easy, but fresh deli olives add so much more flavor. Look for a pitted variety - ripe or green, both are good.
- I like to add the cheese separately from the meat filling - just a sprinkle on top of the filling before you close up the empanada.
- Naturally, you can experiment with fillings. Try chopped cooked chicken mixed with some cream cheese, green chilis and pepper jack cheese.
- Plain old breakfast sausage browned and combined with cheddar cheese would be a winner, too! I'm of the opinion that anything encased in pie dough is going to taste pretty darn good.
- Go Italian and use Italian sausage and mozzarella or provolone cheese. You could even put a scant teaspoon of prepared spaghetti sauce in each empanada before folding up and sealing. Maybe a sprinkle of Parmesan?
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