Black-Eyed Pea Empanadas

My mother's family has roots in Texas, which often influences our holiday gatherings. In Texas, as with much of the South, eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is thought to bring good luck and fortune in the coming year. We often serve them simmered with bacon, along with a big hunk of my aunt's famous cornbread. This year, I wanted to try a twist on this family tradition, one that included a nod to my Latino heritage. The result was flavorful spiced black-eyed peas stuffed into flakey empanadas, a type of pastry found throughout Latin America, served with a zesty crema dipping sauce.

Directions:

Ingredients:

For the dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (6 oz.) unsalted

butter

1 egg, whisked

¼ to ½ cup of water

For the filling:

2 slices bacon

½ red onion, diced

4-ounce can diced green chiles,

drained

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 cans (15 oz. each) black-eyed

peas, drained and rinsed

1 cup Mexican style lager beer

Salt to taste

For assembly:

1 egg

Paprika and coarse sea salt

For dipping sauce:

¾ cup sour cream

Zest of one lime, finely grated

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and add to the bowl. Using your fingertips, or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until a coarse sandy texture is created. Mix egg in with a fork. Then begin adding water, in small increments, until a clumpy dough forms. You might not have to use all the water. Divide dough into two balls, then slightly flatten into smooth disks. Wrap in plastic and set in the refrigerator to rest while you make the filling.

Make filling: Slice the bacon crosswise into small ¼-inch slices. Add bacon to a large cold skillet, then set heat to medium. Cook bacon for 5 to 10 minutes, until some fat has rendered, and the bacon is getting golden but not too crispy. Add onions and continue to sauté until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes, adding a little oil if needed. Add green chilies and cumin, stirring to incorporate. Raise heat to medium-high, then add beer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. After the beer has cooked off for a few minutes, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to simmer, until liquid is reduced and thickened, another 10 to 15 minutes. To help thicken, use a wooden spoon to roughly mash some of the black-eyed peas. Add a little water if the pan dries out too fast. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt as needed. Set aside and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Assemble: On a lightly floured work surface roll out one disk of dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use a biscuit cutter, or a wide-mouth glass jar, to cut out rounds of dough, about 4-inches in diameter. Repeat with the second dough disk. Arrange rounds on a large work surface. Gather scraps, combine into another dough ball, re-roll out and cut out more rounds, until dough is used up. Depending on the size you should have about 15 to 20 rounds of dough.

Place a spoonful of filling into the middle of each round. The amount will vary depending on the size, but about 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons per empanada. Don't overstuff. Fold dough over top, making a half-moon, and seal the edges with your fingers, pressing out air. Use a fork to crimp the edges, or fold and crimp like you would a pie crust.

Arrange assembled empanadas on baking sheets. In a small bowl whisk one egg with a teaspoon of water. Brush the tops of empanadas with egg wash, then sprinkle with paprika and sea salt flakes. Bake in preheated oven util golden brown, about 18-25 minutes.

While empanadas are baking, make the sauce. Combine sour cream, lime juice, zest, cilantro, and dry spices in the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth. Add salt to taste. Serve empanadas hot, with dipping sauce on the side.

Notes:

Once you have mastered this empanada dough you can have fun experimenting with different fillings and dipping sauces. Wonderful as an appetizer for a party, or as a side dish to a feast, empanadas are a crowd-pleaser. Ideas for fillings include shredded meats, refried beans, melty cheese, or chorizo with potatoes. Great for reimagining leftovers. Sweet empanadas make fun desserts, try fruit preserves, sweet cream cheese, or chocolate fillings. Empanadas are also delicious deep-fried. Enjoy!