Gluten-Free Cheese & Ham Mini Empanadas
Cheese & ham filled empanadas are just as popular as the meat-filled ones in Argentina. They are often made at the last minute using up leftover pieces of various cheese and cold ham and are a great quick-snack option.
Cheese & Ham Filling
There are various ways of making the filling. Some roll a thin slice of ham around a piece of buttery cheese, then pop this in the pastry to be baked. Others create a white (Roux) sauce to hold the cheese & ham together and add a richer flavour to the filling.
In this recipe, I use the white (Roux) sauce filling that has been flavoured with onions, garlic, parsley, nutmeg and white pepper.
This filling recipe is perfect for mini empanadas. There is so much flavour in one bite!
Gluten-free Empanada Pastry
The gluten-free pastry is the same used in both my meat empanadas and cream cheese & spinach empanadas. Once baked, the pastry is crispy and sturdy to hold the empanada fillings.
What cheese is used in the filling?
There is no exact rule on the type or number of different cheese to use in the filling, but a good combination of a buttery cheese, a semi-soft cheese and a sharp hard cheese make a tasty and gooey filling.
Buttery Cheese
Either a Spanish Manchego or a mature Cheddar cheese will give a buttery flavour and texture to the cheese filling.
Semi-soft Cheese
Provolone or Halloumi cheese has a slower melt rate compared to the other cheese used in the filling, giving it some texture plus plenty of robust flavours.
Sharp Hard Cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese is added in small quantities as it is the strongest in flavour out of the three kinds of cheese. Besides its sharp flavour, it gives the filling a nutty and classic Italian flavour. Pecorino can be used as a substitute.
Each cheese melts differently and faster than some, so be prepared for some empanadas to leak out and crisp up around the pastry and on the baking tray. Once this cools, this will stay attached to the empanada and add an extra layer of flavour. Any over-cooked cheese bits can be easily snapped off and discarded.
PLANNING AHEAD
Both the filling and the pastry can be made in advance and stored chilled either for the next day or frozen for another occasion.
Gluten-Free Empanada Pastry
The pastry discs can be rolled and cut out in advance by stacking them in between small squares of baking paper, and then stored in a container. They keep for 5 days chilled or 3 months frozen.
Cheese & Ham Filling
Once the cheese & ham filling has cooled down in the fridge, portion out 1-2 tsp of the filling onto a lined tray and freeze them until they are solid. Transfer each filling portion to a snap lock bag or container to freeze until needed.
Assembling the Empanadas
When assembling the empanadas, either the chilled or frozen filling portions can be added to the pastry disc. Once assembled, either bake immediately in a hot oven for 15 mins or store them in the freezer to bake at a later date. They can be baked straight from frozen, which is handy for those last-minute snack occasions.
Gluten-Free Cheese & Ham Mini Empanadas
Equipment
- 9.5 cm scone or cookie cutter, or
- very small plate
Ingredients
GLUTEN-FREE EMPANADA PASTRY
- 460 g store-bought or homemade gluten-free plain flour
- 2 tsp xanthan gum
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 70 g butter or vegetable shortening, cubed and chilled
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 300 ml milk
- 1 egg, separated Use the egg white to seal the pastry discs together and the egg yolk with some water to brush the pastry before baking
CREAM CHEESE & HAM FILLING
Cheese & Ham
- 55 g Manchego or mature cheddar cheese
- 100 g Provolone or Halloumi cheese
- 25 g Parmesan cheese
- 2 thick slices cold ham
White (Roux) Sauce
- 1 small onion, chopped finely
- 1 garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp store-bought or homemade gluten-free plain flour
- 250 ml warm milk
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
GLUTEN-FREE EMPANADA PASTRY
- Blend the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder & salt with the cold butter or shortening in a food processor until it looks like breadcrumbs, or alternatively, rub the mixture using your hands.
- Slowly add the milk until the dough feels soft and comes together nicely.
- Place the dough in a bowl, cover and chill for at least one hour.
CREAM CHEESE & HAM FILLING
- Round up all the ingredients.
Cheese & Ham
- Grate the Manchego, Provolone and Parmesan cheese.
- Cut the ham into small cubes.
- Set the cheese and ham filling aside while preparing the white (Roux) sauce.
White (Roux) Sauce
- In a small saucepan, gently fry the onion and garlic in butter over medium-low heat until soft and fragrant. Do not let them go golden.
- Add the flour and stir constantly for 2 mins.
- Increase the heat to medium and pour in the warm milk gradually, whisking well between each addition until it thickens. This normally takes between 6 to 8 mins.
- Turn the heat off and add the seasoning and parsley
- Allow the sauce to cool down for 15 mins.
- Add the cheese & ham, mix well and chill for 30 mins or if space allows, freeze for 10 mins.
- Remove the filling from either the fridge or freezer. Shape 1-2 tsp into small logs and place them on a tray or plate. Return them to chill for a further 5 mins.
ASSEMBLING THE EMPANADAS
- Either on a sheet of baking paper or flour-dusted countertop, start rolling small portions of the empanada dough to 1 cm thick.
- Using a 9.5 cm or similar size round pastry/cookie cutter, stamp out all the pastry discs and stack them together on a plate until all the dough is used up. Either sprinkle some flour between the pastry discs or use small cutouts of baking paper*
- Place 1-2 tsp of the cheese & ham roux filling on each pastry disc. Try not to over-stuff the pastry disc. You should have plenty of room to seal the pastry without pulling and tearing it. Otherwise, reduce the filling quantity.
- Brush the edges with some egg white.
- Fold over the top half of the pastry disc over the filling.
- Seal the edges together by pressing with floured fingers.
- Once sealed, pinch the edges with your fingers.
- Transfer each pastry to a lined baking tray.
- Brush the empanadas with the egg wash to give it a nice colour and sheen.
BAKING THE EMPANADAS
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F.
- Bake for 15 minutes on the middle shelf, or until golden and crisp.
- Allow the empanadas to cool down slightly before removing them to a serving plate.
Notes
- Keeps for 3 days chilled
- The pastry is suitable to freeze rolled and cut out into discs, separated with small squares of baking paper *
- Unbaked empanadas are suitable to freeze
- Can be baked frozen
TIP:
Each Cheese melts differently and faster than some, so be prepared for some empanadas to leak out and crisp up around the pastry and on the baking tray. Once this cools, this will stay attached to the empanada and add an extra layer of flavour. Any over-cooked cheese bits can be easily snapped off and discarded.
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