Got any leftover pot roast or brisket? Well, well, well….I have the perfect little appetizer recipe fo you. I usually make a pot roast every couple of months even during the summer. My family loves a hearty beefy flavored chuck roast mixed with aromatics, carrots and potatoes. But after that first day or two of beefy euphoria their appetites wain and they start to look for other things and I am left with about a 1 lb. or so of tasty roasted meat.
An Empanada is a delightful hand pie that can be stuffed with anything savory or sweet. They are the “Spanish cousin” of the Jamaican meat pie. The empanada shells I used can be found at some grocery stores in the freezer section with frozen bread items here in the Texas. If you cannot find them where you are you can always use rolled pie crust or puff pastry dough.
You can stuff them with whatever you choose, just make sure not to overload them as the filling may escape during cooking. I went simple here…leftover beef, sauteed onions, sharp cheddar cheese and a little cilantro. There was no need to add additional seasonings because the meat has already been cooked and had great flavor. You can also make these ahead and freeze them for later if you like. These make great appetizers or quick weekend snacks.
Makes: 10 Empanadas
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 10-25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. leftover Pot Roast or Roast beef (shredded and at room temperature)
- 8 oz. Sharp Cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 pack of Goya Empanada shells (or two sheets of rolled pie crust or puff pastry)
- 1/2 bunch of Cilantro
- 1 large egg (whisked)
- 2 tbsp Water
- 2 tsp Olive oil
Instructions:
In a large saucepan heat olive oil to medium low heat. Add diced onions and saute until they are soft and get a slight char on them. Remove from pan and to your leftover meat. Mix well.
If you want to bake these, turn your oven to 400 degrees.
Lay your empanada disks out on a large cutting board.
*If using pie or pastry crust lay them flat on the cutting board. If you can use a Mason jar lid to cut small circle in the dough. Keep in mind that these will be a little smaller than the disks so the number of pies you get may change. Make sure you ball up and roll out the leftover pastry skeleton after making your initial disk. That will allow you to get 1-2 extra shells.
Add your meat mixture to the empanada followed by cilantro and shredded cheese. Make sure not to overstuff the shells.
Mix egg and water to a small bowl and whisk. Lightly brush the edges of the shells with the egg wash. Fold the empanadas over in half. Use a fork to press around the edges until well sealed as shown below. An alternative method is to press down the edges and then fold over the edge for a more complete seal (like the one in the bottom right corner). Brush tops of empanadas with remaining egg wash.
Let empanadas rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or so. This will allow your sealed edges to bind well and stay in place during cooking.
Cooking Options:
Baking- Pop in your preheated oven (400 degrees) for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Pan Fry- Add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil to a frying pan and heat to medium heat. Pan fry for 3-5 minutes flipping half way through the cooking process.
Remove to a paper towel lined plate to remove any excess oil. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with salsa or queso dip.