Cooking with Lisa, Part 2

Since we needed to test out the oven, I decided to make empanadas for a predinner treat last night.  Empanadas are everywhere in Argentina and they are delightful little pockets of yummy goodness.  They cost about $3AR (~ 60 cents) each and are available in lots of different varieties - jamon and queso (ham and cheese), verdura (veggie), cebella and queso (onion and cheese), carne (beef), pollo (chicken) and some others.  Empanada wrappers are available in all the stores here at $6AR for a pack of 12.  I picked up empanada wrappers at the local store and decided to make spinach and cheese empanadas since I had those ingredients on hand.  I sauteed the spinach with some onion, grated some Reggiano cheese and some other cheese that looks like Swiss but is softer, and set out my assembly line. 

Just as I was getting started John came home from work and decided to pitch in. He added jamon crudo (cured ham, like prosciutto) and olives to our ingredient choices.  Can't make anything in Argentina without ham!

In the shops, each type of empanada is wrapped differently so you can tell the different varieties apart.  We weren't that fancy with ours, although we did try a few different techniques.

Ready for the oven......

 

 Usually empanadas are deep fried but we baked ours so they were a bit healthier.   The original plan was to eat a few as a predinner appetizer and save the rest for lunch the next day.  They were so good we ate them all - they were the appetizer and dinner.  I rationalized that since they had bread (wrapper), veggies (spinach), dairy (cheese) and protein (ham) that a plate full of baked empanadas is a great balanced meal.

Ready for dinner!