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French Dip Empanadas

  • Author: Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 2-3 dozen empanadas 1x
  • Method: baking

Description

Savory pockets of meat and cheese, wrapped in a buttery, flaky crust. So good!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 portions of pie dough
  • 3 cups of shredded French Dip meat (beef or venison work well)
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  1. Make the pie dough if necessary. Divide the dough into two. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and let it chill for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator while you assemble the filling. (You can also make this hours, or even a day, ahead of time).
  2. Stir together the shredded meat and cheese in a small bowl. Preheat the oven to 400°.
  3. Roll one half of the pie dough into a 1/4″ thickness on a floured surface. Cut circles in the dough using a 5″ cutter. (I use the lid to the coconut oil container I buy at Costco).
  4. Spoon two tablespoons of filling into the center of each circle and fold the circle in half, pressing the edges with a fork to seal*. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Continue rolling and filling the dough until you run out of dough or filling.
  5. Combine an egg and a teaspoon of water in a small bowl and mix with a fork. Brush the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake the empanadas for 15-20 minutes in preheated oven, until the empanadas are hot and golden brown.
  6. Cool for five minutes before serving. The filling is very hot right out of the oven!

Notes

*Empanadas, like many other things, may be a little awkward to make the first or second time you try. But after you’ve made them once or twice, the process gets easier and you’ll figure out how to make them with less difficulty and in less time!

To freeze the empanadas, take them out just before they are done baking and let them cool completely. Once cooled, freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer the frozen empanadas to a freezer bag. When you’re ready to enjoy one (or five), reheat in the oven.