Three Sister Empadas

I think it's about time we get back on track with posting some new recipes, don't you? Here's what Gary and I decided to cook up last night: Three Sister Empadas. We found this recipe on Pinterest a little while back and decided to give it a go.

First set back of the night was that we ran out of eggs yesterday and forgot that we needed to go get some more. Fortunately, it was good timing because eggs are on sale today at Shopper's Drug Mart for $1.99! And as a side note, you can get $0.25 back this week if you upload your receipt on the Zweet App!

After we returned from the store, Gary and I got to cooking. We started out by making the dough, which requires whole-wheat flour and all-purpose flour, although these could easily be replaced with gluten-free flour if you can't do regular flour. We mixed the ingredients - omitting the salt as we usually do - and finished with a nice looking ball of dough. We wrapped that up in some plastic wrap and set it in the fridge for an hour or so to cool. While waiting for the dough to be ready, we put the veggies in the oven and then it was time to wait. Gary thought it would be fun to pass the time by playing with our new kitten, Kovu. I think they're going to be best friends.

Kovu and Gary hanging out in the living room.

Then it was time to get the filling ready. We took the veggies out of the oven and mixed them up with the beans, green onions, cheese, and all the spices. Gary doesn't like chilies so we opted not to use those, and I reaaaally dislike cilantro so we are definitely not using that. 

Mixed veggies with cheese and spices for the empada filling.

Now the dough is ready to be pressed and divided to make the empadas. We only did a half recipe so we divided the dough into 5 parts and smooshed them before placing filling in the middle and folding them up. Note: Flatten them pretty well, there's quite a lot of filling for the amount of dough. 

And we can't forget to use the egg wash to make sure everything is sealed up. Here's what they looked like, all ready to go into the oven.

Three "Three Sister Empadas"

After some more waiting around - and some wine - we took the empadas out of the oven. They smell so good! And lucky us, we have some leftover rice from yesterday's supper at Tanya & Matt's. Wonderful combo! 

Three Sister Empadas

Makes 10 empadas

Total time: 2 hours

Ingredients: 

For the dough

• 1 1/2 cups (225 grams) whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup (105 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted cold butter, cubed
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup ice water, plus more as needed

For the filling:

• 1/2 pound zucchini (2 medium), cut into 1/2–inch cubes
• 1 cup corn kernels (from 1 medium ear) or 1 cup frozen kernels, thawed [Oops, we accidentally used canned corn; not the greatest idea since they are already cooked, therefor some of it burned in the oven.]
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup canned black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained 
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chile powder
• Sour cream, for serving, optional
• Salsa, for serving optional

For the egg wash:

• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions: 

1. To make the dough, combine both flours in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut butter into the flour mixture until it’s roughly the size of small peas.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together egg and water. Pour over dry ingredients and mix with a fork until dough begins to come together. If still shaggy, add additional water to help the dough come together, 1 tablespoon at a time. Dump out onto a well-floured surface. Knead dough a few times and carefully gather together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for one hour.
3. To make the filling, first preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Spread the diced zucchini and corn on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and a few grinds of salt and black pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the zucchini are softened and slightly browned around the edges.
5. Transfer to a bowl. Fold in the black beans, cheese, green onions, cumin and chili powder.
6. In a small bowl, prepare the egg wash by mixing together the beaten egg and water.
7. To assemble the empanadas, divide the dough into 10 equal portions (about 55 grams each). Shape each portion into a ball and roll into a 5- to 6-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick on a cool, lightly-floured surface. Working one at a time, place 1/3 cup filling into the center of the circle. Moisten the edges with the egg wash. Fold one edge over the top of the filling to create a half-moon shape and crimp the edges to seal.
8. Place the empanada on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush tops with egg wash, and repeat with remaining dough. Slice a few small slits in the center of each empanada to help release steam while baking.
9. Bake at 400°F for 22 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve with sour cream and salsa, if desired.

NOTE: You can easily freeze these empanadas, either baked or unbaked, to enjoy later on a busy weeknight. To do so, wrap the empanadas well in aluminum foil and label. To bake the empanadas, preheat the oven to 400°F and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and hot all the way through. Cooking time is roughly the same to warm previously-baked empanadas or to fully cook the unbaked empanadas. Do not thaw the empanadas before baking — simply toss them in the oven frozen.