IL MITO’s Sunday Brunch Empanada

Chef Feker stops by to make a couple Sunday brunch empanadas for the Real Milwaukee crew. Watch him make them in the video above, and make your own using the recipe below.

Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
• 24 pieces of 4 inch diameter puff pastry
• 1 pound medium spiced Italian sausage
• 8 eggs hard boiled and diced
• ½ pound of fontina
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup dark raisins
• 8 Italian Roma tomatoes
• 2 dry ancho chilies soaked then drained and chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions

1. In a large heavy skillet, over a medium-high heat, sauté the sausage until the meat is browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off the excess fat. Add the onion and sauté 2 minutes. Then add the garlic, and raisins, and sauté 1 minute.
2. Place the tomatoes, chilies, salt and pepper in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the puree, along with the cumin, cloves and nutmeg to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes to get rid of any excess liquid. Cool. Add the chopped eggs, cheese and pine nuts and mix well.
3. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each circle of pastry. Fold over the pastry and seal the edges. Let the empanadas rest in the refrigerator 1/2 hour or freeze immediately. (Bake the frozen empanadas without defrosting.) Empanadas may be glazed (1 egg and 2 tablespoons milk, well beaten) and baked until golden in a 400-degree oven, for about 15 minutes. Or they may be deep-fried in oil at 375 degrees until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes a side. (If you deep-fry them, make sure the edges are well sealed so the filling won’t leak.)