Aioli

It occurred to me that I didn't post the recipes for the aiolis that I made to serve with the empanadas. It also occurred to me that I didn't take photos of them as we were madly dashing out of the house to the party since we were already an hour late. Oops! So hopefully you'll forgive me and will be able to make do with just the recipes. I promise, they're simple.

Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup roasted red pepper

STEPS

• In a food processor, puree the roasted red pepper and garlic. Then add the mayonnaise and lemon juice and blend together.
• Pour into a dip bowl and serve with empanadas.

Chipotle Aioli

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chipotle peppers (if this is too spicy, you can use 1/4 cup chipotle peppers)

STEPS

• In a food processor, puree the chipotle peppers and garlic. Then add the mayonnaise and lemon juice and blend together.
• Pour into a dip bowl and serve with empanadas.
  

Empanadas

I was inspired by the empanada recipe posted by Elise on her blog and thought that empanadas would be the perfect thing to bring to a Christmas party. I followed her recipe for the dough (except for the amount of salt) and made my own filling with ground turkey. I served them with two different aiolis: roasted red pepper aioli and chipotle aioli.

PASTRY INGREDIENTS
2 packages cream cheese (do not use light), room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water

FILLING INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 medium potato, diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can tomato paste
4 tablespoons water

STEPS

• Cream together the cream cheese, butter and salt. Slowly fold in the flour and mix until well incorporated. Divide the dough into two and form flattened, rounded disks. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• While the dough is chilling, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey, onions, potatoes and spices and cook until the meat has browned.
• Add the tomato paste and water and stir to mix. Lower the heat and let simmer for 10 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. When cooked, remove from heat and place in a bowl.

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. If the dough was refrigerated for more than 1 hour, you may need to let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Use a large round cookie cutter (3-inches in diameter) and cut out rounds from the dough.
• Mix the egg and water, then using a pastry brush, brush the edges of the rounds to help them stick together. Place 1 teaspoon of the meat mixture into the centre of the dough, then fold the edges together and use a fork to seal the edges.

• Brush the sides with egg wash (but not the bottom otherwise they will stick to the pan) and place upright on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 50 empanadas.