Hearts of Palm ‘empanadas’

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons of butter.
3 tablespoons of vegetable shortening.
2 1/2 cups of flour.
1 teaspoon of salt.
3 egg yolks.
1/4 cup of buttermilk.

For the filling:
2 tablespoons of butter.
1 tablespoon of olive oil.
4 pieces of bacon, chopped fine (optional).
1 large onion, chopped fine.
1 tablespoon of sugar.
1 can of La Cima Hearts of Palm, drained and chopped.
1 tablespoon of flour.
1 cup of whole milk.
12 black olives, roughly chopped.
1/2 cup of small cubes of feta cheese (optional)
.
Preparation:

  1. Melt the butter with the shortening, and let cool.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Stir in the cooled butter and shortening with a fork.
  3. Stir in the egg yolks, and mix well. Add the buttermilk gradually until mixture starts to come together. Knead briefly until the dough is smooth.
Wrap dough in saran wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour.
  4. Melt butter and oil in a skillet on medium heat. Sauté optional bacon pieces until crispy. Add the onions and sugar to the skillet and sauté them until they turn golden and translucent.
  5. Add the La Cima Hearts of Palm and sauté a few more minutes.
  6. Stir in the flour, then add the milk and lower the heat slightly. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens.
  7. Remove from heat and stir in the olives. Stir in the cheese and the bacon bits, if using. Set aside to cool.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350 degress. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll out 10 of the pieces into circles large enough to line the bottom and sides of a standard muffin tin. It may help to roll the dough, then let it rest for a few minutes, then roll it out the rest of the way. The rest lets the elasticity in the dough relax, and helps it to maintain its shape.
  9. Line 10 muffin tins with dough circles, pressing them into the bottom and sides of the pan.
  10. Divide the filling between the 10 lined muffin tins.
  11. Roll out the remaining two portions of the dough and cut circles to match the diameter of the muffin tins. Place the circles on top of the filling, and pinch around the edges to seal them with the dough lining the tin.
  12. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
  13. Serve while hot.