Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Empanadas
Flaky, crisp empanadas filled with sweet butternut squash, buttery corn, earthy goat cheese, and spicy jalapeno.
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter chilled, cut into ¼ inch cubes
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup ice water
- 1 egg beaten for egg wash
Butternut Squash Filling
- 1 white onion finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red cayenne
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups corn either canned corn, or boiled fresh corn cut off the cob
- 3 cups butternut squash finely diced
- 1 jalapeno seeded and minced
- 5 ounces goat cheese
Instructions
- First, prepare the pastry dough. In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt. Then add in the butter, egg, and ice water. Pulse until the mixture resembles crumbs. Knead the dough a couple of times until it comes together. Shape into a ball and cover in plastic wrap. Cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once heated, add the onion, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onions are softened for about 4 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add butternut squash, corn, and jalapeno. Cook until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Once cooked through, remove from heat and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Remove dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to approximately ⅛ inch thick. Using a cookie cutter or mason jar lid, cut 4-inch circles into the dough.
- Now it's time to assemble. Have all the ingredients nearby; goat cheese, filling, dough circles, and prepared egg wash. Add a tablespoon of the filling to the center of the dough circle. Then add a couple of crumbles of goat cheese. Using your finger or pastry brush, lightly brush the outside rim of the circle in egg wash. Fold each circle in half, forming a half-moon shape. Crimp edges with a fork to seal the dough. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all ingredients are gone.
- Lightly brush the top of the empanadas with egg wash and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.