Sweet Corn & Bacon Empanadas

I’d been dying to put my stash of refrigerated pie dough to use, and these finger-friendly appetizers featured in a recent issue of Cuisine at Home were the perfect solution. I spiced up the mix of sweet corn and bacon with roasted chilies that I charred over an open flame. You can prepare the mixture for this quick-fix party snack ahead of time, then fill and bake the empanadas as your guests arrive. I serve my Sweet Corn and Bacon Empanadas with homemade guacamole and salsa for dipping.

Appetizer

Sweet Corn & Bacon Empanadas

Sweet Corn and Bacon Empanadas are the perfect finger-friendly appetizer that can be made ahead of time.

Author: Kelly Senyei

4 from 1 vote

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 43 minutes mins

Servings 16 empanadas

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 2 large chile peppers (of desired heat)
• ▢ 3 strips bacon
• ▢ 2 cups frozen yellow sweet corn
• ▢ 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• ▢ 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• ▢ 1 package pie dough (two 15-oz. sheets)
• ▢ 1 egg yolk
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon water
• ▢ Pinch of smoked paprika

Instructions 

• Roast the chile peppers by holding them over an open flame until the skin is completely charred. (Alternate method: Preheat the oven to 400ºF and roast the peppers on a baking sheet for 20 minutes, flipping them over once while roasting).
• Place the roasted chiles in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Sweat the peppers for 10 minutes.
• Peel the chiles then slice them in half, scraping out the seeds and removing the stem.
• Dice the chiles and place them in a bowl.
• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the cooked bacon and reserve 1 Tablespoon of the grease.
• Chop the cooked bacon and add it to the bowl with the diced chilies.
• Add the corn, along with the reserved bacon grease, into the pan and saute for 8-10 minutes until it begins to brown slightly.
• Add the diced chiles, chopped bacon, shredded Cheddar cheese and chopped scallions into the pan with the corn. Toss to combine.
• Refrigerate the corn mixture until it has completely cooled.
• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Unroll one sheet of the pie dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Use a cookie cutter (or trace around a large drinking glass) to cut out 3½" circles.
• Arrange the dough circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Add 1 Tablespoon of the corn filling in the center of each dough round then fold the rounds in half. Use a fork to crimp the edges and seal the empanada closed.
• Beat the egg yolk with the water. Brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash then sprinkle with a pinch of smoked paprika.
• Bake until golden, about 15-18 minutes.
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Nutrition

Calories: 91kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 72mg, Potassium: 87mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 150IU, Vitamin C: 9.7mg, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 0.5mg

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