Description
These Corn, Cheese & Chilli Empanadas are deliciously crispy pastry pockets filled with a flavorful mixture of sweetcorn, mature cheddar, fresh coriander, spring onion, and a hint of green chilli for a gentle kick. Perfect as a tasty snack or appetizer, these empanadas are baked to golden perfection and can be served with creamy avocado and zesty lime for added freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- ½ x 198g can sweetcorn, drained well
- Small handful coriander, leaves and stalks chopped
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- 25g extra mature cheddar, grated
- ½ green chilli, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
Pastry
- 230g sheet ready-rolled all-butter shortcrust pastry
- 1 egg, beaten (for sealing and glazing)
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
To Serve
- 1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Few coriander leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: In a bowl, combine the drained sweetcorn, chopped coriander leaves and stalks, finely sliced spring onion, grated mature cheddar, and chopped green chilli. Season the mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then mix thoroughly to combine all flavors.
- Prepare the pastry: Unroll the sheet of all-butter shortcrust pastry onto a clean surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out slightly thinner. Then, use a 10cm round cutter to cut out circles of pastry. You should get approximately six circles and can re-roll the trimmings to cut out two more circles, for a total of eight.
- Assemble the empanadas: Brush the edges of each pastry circle lightly with beaten egg. Spoon a couple of teaspoons of the prepared filling into the center of each circle. Fold the pastry over to form a semi-circle, then pinch the edges firmly with your fingers to seal the empanadas, ensuring no filling escapes during baking.
- Prepare for baking: Place the formed empanadas onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Brush the empanadas generously with the remaining beaten egg and scatter the sesame seeds over the tops. Cover the baking tray with a clean cloth or cling film and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This chilling step helps the pastry to firm up and bake crispier.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/Gas mark 6. Bake the chilled empanadas in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until they are golden brown and crisp on the outside.
- Prepare avocado garnish: Just before serving, halve a ripe avocado, remove the stone, and place the halves cut-side up on a small plate. Scatter a few coriander leaves on top and add lime wedges. Squeeze a little lime juice over the avocado to prevent browning and to add fresh flavor.
- Serve: Serve the hot empanadas fresh from the oven with the avocado and lime on the side. Scoop chunks of avocado onto your plate as you enjoy the savory empanadas.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, you can increase the amount of green chilli or add a pinch of chilli flakes to the filling.
- Ensure the pastry edges are well sealed to prevent the filling from leaking during baking.
- Chilling the empanadas before baking helps the pastry maintain its shape and results in a flakier crust.
- These empanadas can be served warm or at room temperature, making them a great option for parties and picnics.
- Use a good quality all-butter shortcrust pastry for richer flavor and better texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Latin American
Keywords: empanadas, corn empanadas, vegetarian snack, baked pastries, cheese empanadas, spicy empanadas, easy snacks
