Mini Jerk Mushroom and Lentil Empanadas with Ricotta

Empanadas are pockets of deliciousness. If you need a light appetizer for your guests or yourself, these mini empanadas packed with flavour and heat are perfect. 

In case you didn’t know, empanadas translate to ‘embreaded’ or ‘wrapped in bread’, and you can thank the Spanish for this little filled pastry invention! However, several cultures consider them a mainstay in their cuisine repertoire. 

The glorious thing about empanadas is that you can stuff them with, well anything!

I decided to take a Caribbean twist and loaded these bites with jerk-marinated lentils and mushrooms. The baby Bella mushrooms add the umami, and the lentils additional flavour and substance. They also happen to be some of my favourite legumes!

One thing about turnovers is that you don’t want the filling to be flavourless or dry. There are four things you can do to address this:

• Add tomatoes and/or tomato paste

• Simmer your filling in broth

• Add some cheese (moist like ricotta would be best)

• Use a dip or sauce

Regarding the jerk seasoning, you can make it from scratch or save time and get something in the store - which is what I did! The same goes for the lentils. I typically cook mine from scratch after soaking them overnight, but you can find an organic can of precooked lentils instead as well. I hope you enjoy these! 

Ingredients

5 ounces baby Bella mushrooms (chopped)

1 can lentils

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 large orange bell pepper, chopped

1 cup jerk marinade

1 1;2 tablespoons garlic minced

1/4 yellow onion, diced (optional)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup broth

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/3 cup ricotta cheese

Parmesan cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

2 pie crusts, thawed

1 egg, beaten

Instructions

Marinate the lentils and mushrooms overnight.

In a nonstick saucepan melt the butter and olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and cumin, sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Add the mushroom-lentil mixture, along with the peppers, tomato paste, and fresh thyme. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat, stiring frequently.

Pour in the broth and simmer for another 5 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and most of the liquid is incorporated - you don't want a dry mixture, but you still want it wet enough to be moist, but not too moist to avoid soggy empanadas. Use your judgement.

Roll out each pie crust on a lightly floured surface, enlargening it slightly. Using a cookie cutter or mason jar lid, cut circular shapes where you will place your filling.

Using a 1/2 teaspoon, scoop the mushroom-lentil mixture on one side of each disc. Then, spoon some ricotta and parmesan cheese on top. Fold over the dough and use a fork to seal shut the empanadas. Measure to make sure they are evenly filled, but try not to overdo it as you can end up with messy empanadas and spillage!

Brush the turnovers with the egg wash to ensure the crust bakes to a golden finish.

Bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes. Serve hot!