Halloween - "Intestines With Clotted Blood" Empanada's

Halloween - "Intestines With Clotted Blood" Empanada's

This recipe there is a little more involved but well worth it!
Tastes great and three recipes in one, that you will use again and again...
 
Intestines:

1 pound puff pastry (purchased in frozen section)
1 empanada recipe (or any other desired filling)
1 egg, beaten
Red food coloring and a small paint brush

Preheat oven to 375ºF. 

• Line a baking sheet with parchment. 
• Thaw the puff pastry and using a rolling pin, roll out the pastry on a floured surface until roughly 1/8 inch in thickness. 
• Using a knife (or pizza cutter), cut the puff pastry lengthwise into thirds, making three long strips. 
• Place the thirds end to end creating a very long strip of dough. 
• Seal the seams with egg wash. 
• Spread the filling down the entire center of the dough, leaving a bit of space on each side to pinch closed. 
• Brush the edges with a little egg and pinch the whole thing closed, creating what will look like a long worm. 
• Carefully lift the dough onto the baking sheet and form intestines, rolling it over so the sealed edge is on the bottom. 
• Repeat with the second sheet of pastry dough, continuing the intestines and then shaping the colon (see photo). 
• Brush the pastry with the egg wash. 
• Dip a small brush into red food coloring (for a darker color add some blue coloring) and paint on the “blood.” 
• Bake for about 20-25 minutes, just until golden, but not overly brown. 
• Serve with a syringe of Clotted Blood.

Empanadas (Intestine filling)

1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
8 green olives, pitted and cut into slices
2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into rounds
salt and pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper, to taste
12 empanada rounds (refrigerated crescent rolls are also good*)
1 egg, beaten

Note: The meat mixture may be made a day in advance.

• In a medium saucepan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. 
• Add the onions and sauté until they become translucent.
• Add the beef and cook, adding salt and pepper to taste.
• Once the meat has browned, stir in the paprika, cumin, and crushed red pepper and mix well. 
• Remove from heat and add the green olives and hard boiled eggs.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
• Place the empanada rounds on a lightly floured work surface. 
• Add a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of the dough round. 
• Use the egg wash to seal the empanada, making them in half-moon shapes. 
• Brush the egg wash over each finished empanada and bake at 350 for about 12-15 minutes. 
• Serve immediately with guacamole, salsa, sour cream or any other condiment you like.

*If using crescent rolls, roll out the dough until it is about ¼ inch thick and cut into rounds and then follow the recipe as stated. You may need a little longer baking time.

Clotted Blood (Roasted Tomato Salsa)

10 large Roma tomatoes, whole
2 Serrano or jalapeno chilies (depending on heat preference)
4 cloves garlic, skin on
1 large white onion, quartered
1 bunch cilantro
4 limes, zest and juiced
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1-2 tablespoons oil

• Place the first four ingredients on a tin foil lined baking sheet and drizzle with oil, until the vegetables are well coated. 
• Place under your broiler and broil until the vegetables are becoming charred – about 5 to 10 minutes depending on your oven. 
• Turn over the vegetables and repeat, until all sides are charred. 
• Remove from the oven and take off the garlic skins and the stem and seeds (seeds are optional) from the chilies. 
• Place in a blender or food processor and add cilantro and lime zest and juice. 
• Blend until desired consistency. 
• Season with salt and serve.