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1
Heat a saute pan with the butter.
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2
Saute chopped apples and onions in butter until onions are cooked and apples are just soft.
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3
Dice the (cooked) chicken breast.
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4
Toss diced chicken, apples, onions and shredded cheddar in a bowl with salt and pepper to taste and a squeeze of lemon juice.
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5
Set aside on the counter to cool.
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6
Place first puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and roll out to about twice the size that it started out.
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7
Puff pastry is not like pie or pizza dough you cant lump it together and re-roll, or patch, so roll carefully.
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8
Use a glass to cut out circles.
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9
Use your geometry skills and maximize the surface area (remember you cant collect the scraps at the end and re-roll the pastry wont puff the same).
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10
Try to get 12 circles, each 2.5 inches in diameter.
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11
You can give the kids the scraps to make weirdly shaped pastries or haphazardly filled versions.
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12
Mine always insist on making a just cheese version.
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13
Repeat with second sheet of puff pastry.
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14
Traditionally empanadas are half moon shaped (you fill one side and fold over) but this filling is a little chunkier, and you need a certain ratio of the ingredients in each empanada to get the correct flavor, so Im using one circle on top and one on bottom.
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15
Place a heap of filling of the chicken/apple mixture in the center of each circle (leaving 1/4 inch pastry around the edge showing).
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16
Use your finger or a pastry brush to wet the edge with warm water and top with second circle.
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17
Crimp edge with a fork.
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18
Place empanadas on a parchment covered baking sheet.
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19
I use parchment for everything, for guaranteed non-sticking and easy clean up.
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20
I especially like how puff pastry bakes on it.
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21
If youre not using parchment, place on ungreased cookie sheet.
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22
Theyre going to puff up twice their size, so leave 3 inches between each on the pan.
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23
Whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water (this is an egg wash, which makes puff pastry golden and shiny) and brush the tops of each empanada.
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24
Bake for 15 minutes at 375F, or until golden (in Colorado it takes twice as long).
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25
Let cool ten minutes, then serve with sour cream and Dijon (or any mustard or dipping sauce you like).
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26
These make good appetizers/ finger party food, but you can serve with a salad as a main dish as well.
