These savory empanadas are stuffed with seasoned sweet potatoes, caramelized onions, bacon, and queso fresco cheese.
Ingredients:
- 1 recipe empanada dough
- 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 large white onion
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 teblespoon brown sugar
- 4 ounces queso fresco cheese, or other firm white cheese
- 1 egg
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Prepare the empanada dough according to recipe and let rest while sweet potato is baking.
- Brown bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. When bacon is cooked, removed and cool on a plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet, and discard remaining fat.
- Thinly slice the onion and place slices in the skillet with the cumin, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook onion over low heat until dark golden brown and fragrant.
- Peel and mash the baked sweet potato and place in a bowl. Add the caramelized onions, coarsely chopped bacon, lime juice, and cheese (cut into small cubes). Season filling with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide empanada dough into 10 balls. On floured surface, roll each ball into a 5 inch diameter circle.
- Place 1-2 tablespoons of the sweet potato filling in the center of the dough. Fold dough over and seal and crimp edges (see tips and techniques for beautiful empanadas).
- Whisk egg with a little bit of water and brush empanadas with egg wash. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Reheat empanadas in oven or microwave.
