When I was making the Butternut Squash Ravioli, I didn’t make enough pasta – leaving me with 2 extra cups of filling. I was heading to a tapas dinner party the next day, so I decided to use the filling for empanadas. And it’s spring which means I’m going to be making everything I can with rhubarb until I can no longer stand the sight of it. So I thought I’d make a compote with poached rhubarb and caramelized onions. It was a fantastic addition of sweet & savory to the flaky empanada!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rhubarb, thinly sliced
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup butternut squash filling
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 egg, lightly beaten with one teaspoon of water
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half, and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Now you can take a nap or go ahead and make the compote, starting with the rhubarb.
- Poach rhubarb in a small saucepan by adding one tablespoon of water and agave nectar to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 3.5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt to the pan and stir until coated.
- Continue stirring until the onions become the color of caramel and resemble a stew or thick gravy (It will probably take about 25 to 30 minutes). Transfer to a medium bowl, combine with the rhubarb, and let cool.
Hours later
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut into 2.5 inch circles. Roll leftover dough into a ball, roll it out again and cut more circles.
- Fill each circle with a heaping teaspoon of filling. Lightly brush the rim of the crust with the egg wash, fold over to seal and crimp the edges with a fork.
Notes: This recipe makes approximately 32 empanadas. You don’t have to use rhubarb if it isn’t in season. If you want to know when it is in season – click here.
What you’ll need: A large bowl, a medium bowl, a large saucepan, and a pastry brush.
What you want to know: One empanada with one tablespoon of the compote is 130 calories, 8 grams of fat, 0 grams fiber, and 2 WW points.
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