This dish is a terrific way to reuse leftovers, which is something I’m always trying to do. Make a warm, hearty dish for your family using leftover ham, a little cabbage, and some cupboard and refrigerator staples. Your supper will be complete if you toss a salad while the casserole bakes and add some biscuits or cornbread.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 15 mins |
| Additional Time: | 1 hr 35 mins |
| Total Time: | 2 hrs 20 mins |
| Servings: | 15 |
| Yield: | 15 empanadas |
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 ripe peaches, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 ½ tablespoons white sugar, divided, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ egg, beaten, or as needed
Instructions
- Place flour in a medium bowl. Whisk in sugar and salt. Cut in butter using 2 knives or a pastry cutter. Gently work in cream cheese and sour cream until dough is combined.
- Turn dough out onto your working surface. Quickly gather crumbs together into a square; fold square in half. Flatten dough out into a larger square using a rolling pin; fold in half again. Roll out one more time and fold into thirds, like a letter. Wrap dough in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.
- Mix peaches, 3 tablespoons sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Let sit for about 15 minutes. Transfer filling mixture into a strainer over a bowl to drain the excess juices for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll pastry dough onto a floured surface to about 3/8-inch thickness. Cut out 15 to 20 circles about 4- to 6-inches in diameter. Place 2 teaspoons of filling into the middle of each circle. Fold dough in half over the filling and seal edges together with your fingers. Press edges together with the tines of a fork to make a decorative seal, if desired.
- Place empanadas on the prepared baking sheet; brush with egg and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- This empanada dough is sweet so you can stuff it with anything sweet. I love peaches, but I also stuff some with chocolate cream cheese. My mother stuffs hers with sweet potato or pineapple.
- Substitute almond extract for the vanilla extract if desired.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 212 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 18 g |
| Cholesterol | 44 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9 g |
| Sodium | 191 mg |
| Sugars | 5 g |
| Fat | 15 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |