Corn and Poblano Empanadas

These yummy little appetizers are another great way to use summer's fresh corn!

Ahead of time, place 2 poblano peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake at 500 degrees for 20 minutes, turning at the ten minute mark - they should be brown and blistered by the end.

Place in a plastic bag for 15 minutes, then peel the poblanos, cut them in half lengthwise, and discard the seeds and membranes. Finely chop the remaining flesh, and set aside in a medium bowl.

To make the dough, lightly spoon 3/4 cup all-purpose flour into measuring cups and level with a knife. Combine the flour in a food processor with 3/4 cup masa harina (corn flour), 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. chili powder. Pulse about 3 times to mix. Add 2 tablespoons vegan butter (such as Earth Balance), cut into small pieces, along with 1/2 cup water; pulse until the mixture starts to form a ball. Turn out onto a surface and knead to finish incorporating the dough together, and completely form into a ball.

Note: since my food processor isn't large enough, I used a blender instead, which doesn't do quite as nice a job making dough as a food processor. Once the ingredients were mostly combined, I turned the dough out onto a surface and finished it off there by hand.

Divide the ball into 8 equal portions (it's a wonderfully workable dough, I discovered, so don't worry about it sticking to your hands!). Pat each portion into a 3-inch circle. Stack the circles between layers of wax paper, and chill for 30 minutes.

While the dough chills, heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and saute for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1 and 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels; saute for 3 minutes. Add the corn mixture to the reserved poblanos, and let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in 3/4 cup shredded vegan mozzarella (such as Follow Your Heart).

Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll into a 5-inch circle. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the corn mixture into the center of the circle. Moisten the edges of the dough with water, then fold over the filling.

(Note: I forgot to moisten the edges, but my dough still held together fine!)

Press the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and corn mixture. Place all the filled empanadas on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Make the equivalent of 1 egg using Ener-G egg replacer, and lightly brush the tops of the empanadas with the 'egg'. Pierce each empanada with a fork on the top (which I also forgot! I guess I was working fast at the end...), then bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

1 empanada makes an appetizer nosh of 160 calories.

Cost:
masa harina $3.39
poblano peppers $1.80
fresh corn $0.80
vegan mozzarella $4.39