Gather round – we're making empanadas

Some foods are made for a crowd. To consume them, yes, but also to make them.

Empanadas are one of those foods.

These filled pastries are popular in South America, joining a long list of such handheld pastries that are a part of many cultures: Think pasties, calzones, turnovers, Hot Pockets — you get the picture. Empanadas likely originated in Portugal, but are believed to have been influenced by India's samosas, so they've circled the globe.

A flaky crust traditionally made with lard, but now more likely butter, shelters a filling often made with ground beef, olives, hard-boiled eggs and sometimes raisins. But empanadas are open to all sorts of options, from vegetarian combos to dessert fruits.

Whatever you fill them with, consider the joys of making them with friends or family members — because there's some work to do.

There's the dough to make, the filling to mix, then rolling, dolloping, crimping and glazing. Now, there's nothing wrong with you spending a Zen-like afternoon alone methodically moving through the steps.

But when you gather a group, talents emerge. Someone in the bunch has a knack for rolling dough into perfect circles. Another's taste buds are essential to a perfectly seasoned filling.

You can choose to chat amiably, or crank up the tunes. With a good crew, you can turn out dozens of empanadas in a few hours, which is great because they freeze well, in both entree-sized pockets or smaller snack-sized bites.

We've chosen a vegetable-cheese filling, mostly because it's delicious, but also because its creamy nature makes a filling that's a little easier to handle than the more crumbly ground-meat versions. For traditionalists, recipes for beefy picadillo abound on the internet.

But as we're being urged to eat more colorful vegetables, we like this combo of sweet potato, sweet corn and red peppers, bound with cream and feta cheeses and given a little heat with jalapeño. A cool cilantro cream sauce complements the flavors. For those who crave a little more gusto, a feisty chimichurri sauce would fill the bill.

So gather your friends for an empanada afternoon. It's how communities have cooked for centuries. Come together.

Makes 12 large or 24 snack-sized empanadas.

Dough:

• 2 1/4 c. flour

• 1 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 stick (8 tbsp.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-in. cubes

• 1 egg

• 1 tbsp. white vinegar

Filling:

• 1 tbsp. butter

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 (8-oz.) sweet potato, finely diced in 1/4-in. cubes

• 1 1/2 c. sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen

• 2 green onions, chopped

• 2 to 3 tbsp. jalapeño pepper, finely chopped

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 7 oz. mild feta cheese

• 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro or parsley

• 1 egg, separated, for sealing dough and glaze

• 1 tbsp. milk

Directions

To make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Add the cubed butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or work the mixture with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Knead gently in the bowl a few times, just enough to bring the dough together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling. (Dough can be made a day ahead.)

To make the filling: Heat 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potato and sauté until just starting to get golden. Add the bell pepper and corn and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the green onions and jalapeño pepper. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Allow to cool for a few minutes. The mixture can be warm, but not piping hot.

In a large bowl, mix together feta and cream cheese. Add cilantro, then stir in vegetable mixture, mixing well. Taste for seasoning.

To assemble the empanadas: Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place parchment paper on 2 baking sheets. Separate 1 egg into separate small bowls for white and yolk. Whisk the white with a fork until frothy; you'll use this to seal the empanadas. Whisk the yolk and milk with a fork until smooth; you'll brush each empanada with the egg-yolk wash for a golden crust.

For large empanadas, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Keep dough covered while working with each piece.

Further seal the seam by pressing with a fork, or pleating as you might a pie crust. A classic empanada border looks like a twisted rope, which comes with practice.

Place filled empanadas on parchment and brush with egg-yolk wash. Bake for 30 minutes. They're best served warm, but are good at room temperature, too.

For snack-sized empanadas, divide dough into 24 even pieces. Roll out to a 4-inch circle and fill with a heaping tablespoon of filling. Seal as directed above, brush with egg-yolk wash and bake 20 to 25 minutes.

To freeze: Lay unbaked empanadas, without the egg glaze, side by side on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Make sure they don't touch, or the empanadas will freeze together. Freeze until solid, then transfer into a freezer bag. Frozen empanadas will keep for up to 3 months and can be baked straight from the freezer. Brush with egg glaze and bake as directed, allowing 5 to 10 more minutes.

Nutrition information per empanada with 1 tablespoon sauce:

Protein4 gCholesterol45 mg Dietary fiber1 g

Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 2 fat.

Makes about 3/4 cup.

Note: Sauces are a great accompaniment to empanadas. You can use something as simple as prepared salsa, or make your own chimichurri sauce. Or this cilantro cream sauce, which we particularly like. From Kim Ode.

• 1/2 c. finely chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems

• 1/2 c. sour cream

• 1/2 lime (grated zest and juice)

• Salt to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients and serve.