Black Bean Pastries (Empanadas con Frijoles Negros)

Whenever I get the opportunity to see my Dad, I always like to make a special meal for him. Always open to the prospect of experimenting with flavors — especially when heat is a central component! — I decided upon a Mexican meal which included these spicy black bean pastries (or "pasties") that I only slightly adapted from my now cherished copy of World Vegetarian Classics by Celia Brooks Brown.

This was also my first time making a pastry using warm water. Usually, the key to a perfect pastry is to use very cold ingredients, taking care to work quickly with the dough or to chill it before rolling. This would appear to be a variation of a hot water pastry that traditionally contains lard, typically used for savory pies. It turned out to be an ideal pastry to form over the black bean mixture. It held together nicely during the baking process, and the result was a golden brown crust. Resist the temptation to overfill the dough because the filling might seep out when baking. I mostly got it right, as only two of my pastries had a bit of black bean peaking out when removed from the oven. At least they didn't fall apart. These hand-held delights can also be served with some guacamole.

On the menu with mushroom quesadilla and guacamole.

Black Bean Pastries (Empanadas con Frijoles Negros)

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from World Vegetarian Classics: Over 200 Essential International Recipes for the Modern Kitchen Cuisine: Mexican Published on April 29, 2008 Simple Mexican pastries stuffed with a spicy black bean and cheese filling Print this recipe Dough: 1 1/3 cups unbleached white flour 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoon butter 1/3 to 1/2 cup warm water Filling: 2 to 3 dried chipotle chilies 3/4 cup cooked black beans (1/4 cup dried) 2 tablespoons water 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar 3/4 cup finely grated mozzarella cheese pinch of sea salt 1 beaten egg for brushing Instructions: To make the dough, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and cut into the flour with a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly. Stir in enough water to form a dough and knead a few times. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. To make the filling, soak the chipotle peppers in warm water for 20 minutes. Drain and finely chop. In a bowl, mash together the black beans, chipotles, water, oregano, vinegar, mozzarella and salt. Preheat an oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 6 pieces and form into balls. On a lightly floured board, roll each of the balls into flat 4 1/2 inch pastry circles. Place a rounded tablespoon of the filling into the middle of each circle. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little beaten egg and pull the top and bottom edges up around the filling. Press the ends together to form a crescent shape. Place the filled pastries on the baking sheet and brush with more of the beaten egg. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 6 pastries