Ina Garten Ham & Leek Empanadas

Ina Garten ham and leek empanadas are an easy make ahead recipe she created after a San Francisco food truck visit. Puff pastry replaces homemade dough, so these party appetizers take minutes to assemble. They freeze for three months and bake straight from the freezer.

Press the edges with a fork to get a tight seal all the way around, because any gap lets the filling leak during baking. Keep the puff pastry cold while you work, since warm dough won’t puff properly in the oven.

Source: Make It Ahead (2014)

Ina Garten Ham and Leek Empanadas

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: AppetizerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

325

kcal

Crispy puff pastry triangles stuffed with sautéed leeks, smoky ham, Gruyère, spinach, and Parmesan, baked until golden and flaky.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  

• 1 1/2 cups small-diced leeks, white and light green parts
  

• 1/3 cup crème fraîche
  

• 4 ounces (1/4-inch-diced) smoked ham, such as Black Forest
  

• 4 ounces grated Gruyère cheese
  

• 2 ounces fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped (2 cups)
  

• 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves
  

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• All-purpose flour
  

• 3 sheets frozen puff pastry, defrosted (2 packages)
  

• 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons milk, for egg wash
  

• Fleur de sel or sea salt

Directions

• Preheat: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Cook the leeks: Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a medium (10-inch) sauté pan. Add the leeks and sauté for 4 minutes, until tender but not browned. Stir in the crème fraîche and simmer for a minute.
• Make the filling: Combine the ham and Gruyère in a medium bowl. Add the leek mixture, then the spinach, basil, Parmesan, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix and set aside.
• Fill and fold: Sprinkle a cutting board with flour, roll out one sheet of pastry to an 11 x 11-inch square, and cut it into 4 equal squares. Brush the edge of each square with the egg wash and place 1/3 cup of the filling in the middle. Fold the square diagonally to make a triangle, lining up the edges of the pastry. Place the triangles on the prepared sheet pans and press the edges with the tines of a fork to seal.
• Bake: Brush the triangles with the egg wash and sprinkle with fleur de sel and pepper. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve hot.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Reynolds unbleached parchment paper, Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, Le Saunier de Camargue fleur de sel. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I freeze these empanadas before baking?

You can assemble them, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to three months. When you're ready, brush with egg wash and bake right from the freezer without thawing. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time if they go in frozen. You can also refrigerate them for up to three days before baking.

How do I store leftover baked empanadas?

Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes to get the pastry crispy again. The microwave works in a pinch, but the puff pastry won't stay flaky.

Can I use a different cheese instead of Gruyère?

Swiss cheese is the closest swap and melts the same way. Fontina or Comté would also work because they're both nutty and melt smoothly. Stay away from cheddar here, since it doesn't have the right flavor profile with leeks and crème fraîche.

Do I need any special equipment?

A rolling pin, a cutting board, and a fork are all you need. The fork presses the edges together to seal, and it works better than pinching because puff pastry layers need firm pressure. A sharp knife or pizza cutter makes quick work of cutting the pastry squares.

How should I cut the ham for the filling?

Ask the deli counter to slice the ham 1/4 inch thick so you can easily dice it into 1/4-inch cubes at home. Pre-sliced deli ham is too thin and turns stringy in the filling. You want small, distinct cubes that give you a real bite of ham in each empanada.