Beef Stew Empanadas

Beef Stew Empanadas

1 recipe for Beef Stew.Or, any stew will do!

1 box Pillsbury ready made pie dough

1 egg, whipped

That's it!

When fall rounds the corner, soup is in the air!  So, you don't have to wonder if I already made a pot of Heart Beef Stew, because you know I did!  Then, I was wondering what to do with the leftovers when the thought "empanadas" came to mind.  I first had these yummy little beef stuffed pastries in Argentina, but they originated in Spain & Portugal.  Talk about a delightful way to take lunch on the go!

It's so very simple to use any leftover thick stew that you have to come up with your own version of Stew Empanadas too.  Simply drain off the left over liquid, reserving only the hearty part of the stew.  In this case, the beef, potatoes & carrots.  Then, coarsely mash the mixture with a potato masher & shred the beef if needed. Set aside.

Now, unroll your pastry & cut out circles.  You can get 7 circles out of a Pillsbury Pie Dough.  Place a spoonful of the minced stew in the center of the pastry round. Although you will be tempted to load it too full, be careful because you have to be able to seal it too.  Now, gently fold over the dough and press the edges firmly with the tongs of your fork.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Continue until all the rounds are done, 14 in all if using my method. (note: you will be surprised to know that it only takes about one bowl of soup to do all the empanadas!)

Finally, lightly brush with and egg wash (just one whipped egg) and place into a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes.  Meanwhile, it's time to make the little leaves to go on top.  I wait to put them on until the empanadas are half way cooked, that way the dough under the leaf is also done.  Just cut small, thin, triangles out of the remaining dough.  Using your knife,  score the vein of the leaf pattern right in the center of the triangle. Then, use your fork to make the indents along the sides... very simple... no worries!

After the 8 minutes are up, remove from the oven, place the leaf in the middle of the pastry  & brush just the leaf with the egg wash.  Now, cook until the empanadas are golden brown.  It will take anywhere from 8-14 minutes, depending on your filling.  Viola... there you have it!  A fun and easy way to make two meals out of one, even making one fun lunch for the road!  These are also perfect for a football party or fall festival too.