Breakfast Empanada with Truffles and Artichoke
Hearty and filling, this empanada is the star of this brunch. It looks amazing, and your guests will delight in the aromas as they take their first forkful. The intense earthy scent of the truffle is awe-inspiring with the artichoke, now in season.
Serves 6
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the baking sheet
1 Spanish onion (about 1 cup), diced
1 cup (about 3 ounces) fresh button mushrooms, chopped
11/2 cups heavy cream
2 cups (about 14 ounces) artichoke hearts, quartered
1 pound fresh baby spinach (about 6 cups), roughly torn into pieces
1 tablespoon truffle oil
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 sheets of defrosted puff pastry (about 17 ounces)
3 large egg yolks beaten with 1/2 cup cold water
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, and add the onions. Sauté the onions until they are translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, then add the heavy cream and the artichoke hearts. (This filling can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.)
Once the mixture starts to boil, let it reduce for about 2 minutes. Toss in the spinach, turn off the heat, and give it a good stir. The consistency should be nice and thick. If it is still soupy, turn the heat back to medium and let it reduce some more. Once the texture is akin to that of cookie batter, add the truffle oil, salt, and pepper, and remove from the heat immediately. Let cool, and refrigerate overnight.
On the day of your brunch: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Flour a large cutting board, and lay out one sheet of the puff pastry. Roll it out to 12 by 18 inches. Cut the dough into six 6 x 6-inch squares and stack in a pile, making sure to flour between the squares to prevent them from sticking together. Repeat with the second puff pastry sheet. You should now have 12 squares of pastry.
Lay out one square. With a small knife, gently draw a line from one corner of the pastry to the opposite corner, making sure not to cut through the pastry. In the center of the bottom triangle, place 1/4 cup of filling. Dip a finger in water and moisten the edges of the pastry. Fold the top triangle over the filling, pulling gently so the top and bottom edges meet. Use a fork to pinch and seal the edges.
Place the finished pockets on a buttered baking tray. Once you have completed all 12 empanadas, brush the tops with the egg-water mixture. Depending on the size of your oven, you may need to use two baking trays. Bake about 12 to 14 minutes, or until the empanadas are puffy and golden-brown.
