A savory treasure from South America: Empanadas!

There are as many empanada recipes as there are South American countries and dialects. Empanandas are really a two-part dish. There is the dough and there is the filling. For the sake of simplicity, our filling with be a simple savory filling. Our dough will be a flakey seasoned dough and very unlike the doughs you might find in any cookbook. Regardless, they are pretty simple to make and in the slideshow you will find the very simple steps.

If you are an empanada afficianado, you might find one particular thing a little strange with these and that is they way they are formed. Most empanadas are formed in a half-circle (think sealed taco). These are full rounds, much like the type served by street vendors throughout the southern regions of South America.

Viva! Empanada!!

Ingredients needed to make Savory Empanada's (makes about 6, depending on size):

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup butter, chilled
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 pound grated Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 pound bacon, diced and cooked
• 1 baby sweet onion, minced

Steps:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silcone sheet.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, chili powder, garlic powder and baking soda. Add the butter and using a pastry blender (or fingertips) work the butter into the flour until it resembles a coarse meal.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the egg yolks and milk. Stir this mixture into the flour to form a dough.
4. Form the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and let sit 30 minutes.
5. In a medium bowl, combine and toss the Cheddar cheese, bacon and sweet onion.
6. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness and cut into rounds (you'll need two rounds for each empanada).
7. Place half the rounds onto the prepared baking sheet. Spoon (heap) some of the cheese filling onto each round.
8. Brush the top of the other half of rounds with water and place them over the bottom rounds, Using the tines of a fork, seal the rounds together. Into each empanada make a slash with a sharp knife (this will allow the steam to escape).
9. Place in the oven and bake 30 minutes or until done.
10. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

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