Pumpkin and Ricotta Empanadas

Pumpkin and Ricotta Empanadas

         Total Time 1h 20m    

Pumpkin and Ricotta Empanadas

Pumpkin puree fills a different sort of pie – a hand pie – in this savory use of a fall time fave. The creamy, cheesy filling is studded with bacon to boot.

ingredients:

   3 slices bacon

  1 1/2 pounds baby spinach

  1 cup pumpkin puree

    1/2 cup ricotta

   2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

 One (10-ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed and drained

   1/2 easpoon kosher salt

1/8teaspoon ground black pepper

 All-purpose flour, for rolling

 Three (14.1-ounce) packages prepared pie crust (2 crusts per package)

 Egg wash

directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Lay the bacon in a cold skillet and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the bacon is crisped, about 10 minutes, flipping from side to side. Remove to paper towels to cool.

Meanwhile, bring 1/2 inch of water to a boil in a large pasta pot. Add the spinach in 3 large batches, turning with tongs to slightly wilt between each batch, about 2 minutes total. After the third batch, cover the pot and let the spinach steam, turning with the tongs occasionally, until it’s very wilted, about another 3 minutes. Drain and press on the spinach a few times to release some more water. Once cool enough to handle, put the spinach in a clean dish towel and wring out as much water as you can over the sink. Coarsely chop and add to a large bowl.

Add the pumpkin puree, ricotta, Parmesan, salt and pepper to the large bowl and stir to combine. Crumble the bacon into the bowl and mix in.

Lightly dust the countertop. Unroll one crust. Using a 4 1/2-inch metal cutter, cut out 4 rounds.

Gather the scraps, re-roll the dough and cut one more round.

Mound a tablespoon of filling on the bottom half of each round. Dab around the edges with egg wash, fold the top over and gently press to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork.

Put on one of the baking sheets.

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Brush all the tops with more egg wash.

Bake until the empanadas are golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets half way through.