« Hibiscus (Recipe: apple-tea liqueur) | Main | Dijon mustard (Recipe: beet and onion salad) {vegan, gluten-free} »

Discos (Recipe: goat cheese-olive empanadas) {vegetarian}

Discos2

I'm ready to sell our little log house, and move back to the city.

I'm ready to give up my herb garden, the one right outside the kitchen door.

I'm ready to say goodbye to my wonderful kitchen with -- finally -- enough counter space, and to the fire pit Ted built so we could cook paella and toast marshmallows for s'mores.

I'm ready to live without my beloved screened porch, the site of winter grilling and summer aioli-making, with a table that seats 12, or 14, or sometimes 16.

I'm ready to give it all up, to live closer to a supermarket that carries Goya frozen foods.

Not even all Goya foods.

Just one.

Discos.

Wait... you haven't tried them?

Neither had I, until Ted discovered discos one day at Foodie's, the best little market in Boston.

Just what they seem to be, discos are rounds of flaky pastry, ready to be turned into any variety of empanadas or tiny fruit-filled galettes or apple turnovers or savory pizzettas at a moment's notice.

Discos

Discos come in packs of 10, in white or yellow dough, each 5-inch 120-calorie pastry round separated by a piece of plastic wrap. Store discos in the freezer, and defrost at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before using. Or, cut open one side of the package and put in the microwave on defrost for 10 seconds at a time, just until you can separate the circles; then, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or so and they are ready to handle.

Life doesn't get any easier than this.

Goat cheese-olive empanadas

Almost anything can go into an empanada! This filling makes 10.

Ingredients

1 package discos
1/3 cup pitted black olives, finely chopped
6 oz fresh soft goat cheese
1 garlic clove, crushed in a garlic press or mashed to a paste with coarse salt
1/2 tsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water

Directions

Remove discos from the freezer and set on the countertop to soften. Meanwhile, mix olives, cheese, garlic, oil, salt and pepper to make the filling. In a small bowl, beat the egg and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat (silicone liner) or parchment paper. Place a small bowl of cold water on your work surface.

Set out one disco. Place a heaping Tbsp of filling in the center. Wet your finger and run it around the edge of the disco. Fold the dough over to make a half-moon shape. Press the edges to seal, then take a fork and press into the dough all around the folded edge. Place the empanada on the baking sheet. Make the remaining empanadas, then paint each with a bit of the egg wash.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]


Also in The Perfect Pantry:

Vegetable potstickers
Curried chicken wontons
Empanaditas
Asparagus gruyere tart
Double strawberry tartlets


Disclosure: The Perfect Pantry earns a few pennies on purchases made through the Amazon.com links in this post. Thank you for supporting this site when you start your shopping here.

Comments

I don't think I could give up and herb garden for those. But they do sound tasty.

love ´em. here they´re called Obleas, and of course people fry them, but I bake them, just like that, and they´re a wonderful backup. never tried that filling, though, will do.

Seriously? I've never even thought to LOOK for these. And now? I most definitely will. This recipe sounds amazing1

Oh c'mon Lydia...just stock up the next time you're in the city and you'll be making these lovely empanadas at your whim!

I do love these - they never last in the refrigerator longer than a day. btw, I think you might be giving up too much...

Your title got me confused. I was wondering goats-cheese empanadas at a disco. Shows you i have party on my mind all them time lol! Lydia i really like the sound of these. However, i have not seen any discos here. have to look for a german equivalent

I just wrote these down on my list to look for! We're headed to Boston tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure trying to convince my husband to stop at a market will just get a silly look.

A food named "disco" ?! I have to try it!

What a perfectly grand name for a food item! Discos. Kinda makes you want to dance and eat at the same time! Recipe looks divine as well.
I'm with the others, stay in your wonderful home and create more things with the discos!

That looks really tasty! Haven't heard of it but will need to see if I can find it! :)

I've wanted to make empanadas for a while now (never had them before!), but it just never happened. I was never aware of discos though--I hope I'll luck out and find these at the grocery store! The olive goat cheese filling sounds like a winner

It's that good, Lydia? I believe you, considering that you have great taste. How I wish I live near a supermarket that sells discos as well. I am so curious! Now I want some empanadas as well...

Huh, I have never even noticed those in the Goya section. When I am in that part of the freezer I am only looking for frozen yucas.

In Colombia (in my experience) empanadas are not wheat flour based and they are not baked. They are made from Masa Harina (which is easy to have in the pantry for any time you need, freezer free), like 1 cup harina to 1.25 cups boiling water to make the dough. (see the package)

If you want to get the lo-down on it visit this link http://nikas-culinaria.com/2005/12/29/how-to-make-colombian-empanadas-directions/ .. this is corn based and deep fried.

I suggest that now that you have done the Argentina style, try the Colombian (or we can make them together :-)). There are many uses for this dough - empanadas, arepas, arepa de huevo, corn tortillas, etc.

Traditionally they are made with pork (like just about everything in Colombian cuisine it seems) but one can use turkey or some other solution, with experimentation.

Someone mentions obleas above ... oblea may be a descriptive term for a pastry round of sorts but in Colombia, an oblea is a specific wafer like (sort of like a communion wafer) thing that forms part of a layers dulce de leche (arequipe) dessert.

See this link for details:
http://flickr.com/photos/nika7k/sets/72157594443085157/

I would not know the recipe for Argentinian wheat flour dough but I am sure you can make it and be free to stay close to home!

Thanks for the link back to my turnovers!

I've actually never heard of discos. I may have to hunt them down at some point. As for wanting to move back to the city...I stayed with friends in a Philly suburb last weekend and slept with the windows open and cool breezes rustling the curtains. It was amazing, than I came back to Boston and got to drag myself around on the red line and watch two people almost get into a fist fight because one of them dropped a suitcase on the other's foot. Good times! I say stay in the country with those open windows. I bet you can mail order those Goya products!

I've GOT to find those!

How come I'm so unfortunate to be unable to taste these??? Love the Disco look of them!

How have I never noticed these? What a cool thing! And I bet the bodega on the corner of my block carries them. YAY Lydia! Thanks so much for bringing these to my attention!!!

I found the Discos by accident while looking for Pillsbury's frozen Pie Crusts at Foodies. I am soooo glad I did!
Ted

They look similar to the pastry we use for pastel here, Lydia. YUM!

Lydia, I know this post is about the empanadas and the empanada pastry discs, but I can't get over the filling! Warm goat cheese is among my favorite foods...so are olives and garlic... so maybe I'll just make this filling and HOPE it gets into those pre-made pastry discs to become an empanada. If not, I'll still be a happy girl.

Delicious! They remind me of a Cretan specialty but that's made with a simple regular dough. This is way faster!

Those Goya discos MUST be good if you'd sacrifice all that for them. Love the empanada photo...they sound magnificent.

I was looking for these beauties in the grocery store just last week! I didn't think to look for them in the frozen food section! Wonderful! I'm headed to the grocery straight after work! Thanks!

Wow what a great & simple idea (they always are huh?). I'll also look for these but somehow I suspect we don't carry them locally, ok I'll have to give up my home to move to Boston too!

Nice, but I don't think you'd really give up the log house living, would you? Not for frozen dough, anyway.

Peabody, Peter, Mary, Erin, Hillary, Nate: Of course you can see my tongue firmly planted in my cheek! I'm not giving up my lovely little log house that easily!

Lobstersquad, obleas -- I'm glad to know that.

Genie, April, Ginny, Mike, Kevin, Joy (welcome, Joy): Yes, yes, yes, you must go to your local markets right away to find discos. I know you will all do such interesting things with them, so please remember to let me know what you've created.

Laurie, would love to have more ideas for how to use these. I think little pizzas and fruit tarts are next on my list.

Meeta, you party girl, I am laughing!

April, there are several markets in Boston that carry these, in addition to Foodie's; try the Hi-Lo in Jamaica Plain, if it's on your flight path.

Nupur, must get you together with Meeta!

Nora, Stella: wish I had a way to send some to you....

Nika, I know nothing about Colombian cuisine (though I love the Venezuelan versions of arepas -- are yours similar?) and would be honored to cook with you. Thanks for educating us about the Colombian empanada.

Erin, I joke about moving back to Boston, but a day here and there is all I can manage before I have separation anxiety -- I miss my little log house, my kitchen and my herb garden, so I'm probably just going to learn to live without a great supermarket with Goya products!

Ann, you are so lucky to have a bodgea on the corner. That's one of the things I do miss about living in the city.

Rupert, nobody's happier than I am that you couldn't find what you went to the store to buy. Will you keep me supplied with discos???

Patricia, I've only made pastels (pasteles?) one time, with dough from scratch. Now I can try them with discos.

Sandie, this filling is originally from a tapas menu I've been making, but it is just so delicious in empanadas that I had to share it. Try it stuffed into piquillo peppers, too.

Lore, welcome! Are you from Crete? What's the dish you make -- I'm going to start collecting recipes for using the discos.

Callipygia, we can move in together and make regular treks to the discos store! If there's a good Latino market (maybe near Nashua?), they're sure to carry discos.

You have discos and a screened in porch?? Massive envy!

I definitely need to find some of these! The last dough I made for empanadas did not turn out as well as I would have hoped and these would have been perfect!

That's it, I'm sending Jack out to buy some right this minute. If there is one thing we have in abundance in our neighborhood it's Goya everything! Your empanadas look so very inviting!

Sher, I do! And I don't want to give up either one.

Brilynn, nothing says "jumbo empanadas" like these discos. They're going to be great fun for little tartlets, too. So they've definitely earned a place in my pantry.

Ann, I envy your proximity to NYC bodegas -- I'm sure you can find these on every corner. For me, it's a half-hour drive to the Latino supermarket in South Providence -- but oh so worth it.

Yummy! I love goats cheese and olives, I will have to try this out. I have all the ingredients in my pantry, and can substitute my puff pastry for the discos. I will have to look for these, what a great product.

Oh, I have to find these! Not only do I love goat cheese and olives, but I can send you some so you don't have to give up your log cabin and kitchen counter!

Jason, sounds like you are on your way to some happy empanadas. Isn't it great when you have everything in the pantry?

TW, you'll be able to find these so much more easily in New York than I can in the Rhode Island woods -- and when you do, you will love this filling. And thanks for the offer to export; Ted promises to keep me in discos!

Lydia, it seems like every country/island has its own version of empanadas...when I was in Carribean. It was interesting to see, slightly different shape and filling, but the principle is the same.

Such a unique ingredient and amazingly enough, I have tried it! I bought these in L.A. a few months ago when Rand and I were invited to a party where we have to make Xoacan (sic?) food and we found a recipe for empanadas. Not South Beach friendly at all (sigh) but they were so easy to use and delicious!

Nice. Goya makes great products. And who doesn't like empanadas? I love love love them.

RasaMalaysia, it's hard to imagine a culture that doesn't have some form of "hand pie." I once thought of teaching a class on hand pies from around the world!

Kalyn, definitely not South Beach friendly, but they make wonderful party food. What kind of filling did you use?

FlanboyantEats, welcome to The Perfect Pantry. I've never met anyone who didn't love empanadas, even these wacky ones with goat cheese!

LOL! I thought you really were moving. Yup! Those discos are mighty convenient and delicious. Love your empanadas!

Paz

Lydia, how well do you think these would freeze? If I were to get the empanadas all ready to bake and pop them in the freezer to bake at a later date, would that work? I'm planning for an upcoming work bake-off, but it's taking place on a day when I'm getting back late the night before from a business trip -- I'm considering making these and just baking them in the morning before I leave for the office. Thought I'd check on your opinion...

Oh, Yum! First off, the filling sounds delicious! Second, I have only ever seen the frozen ones in Colorado, and the label says 'tapas'-which is probably why Paz had a hard time until she found discos! If anyone out west knows where they sell these, let me know! The packaging is totally different and they are frozen, not fresh. Why, Goya, why? It must be related to the local population? We have lots of southwestern and mexican foods here, but not so much South American. I'll stop babbling now-this will make it's way onto our table for sure!! Thanks, Lydia!

Paz, not to worry, I'm really not ready to give up my kitchen and garden!

Genie, my husband has made and frozen "disco empanadas" (that's what I call them now!), with great success. You can fill them and freeze, or cook them and freeze and then just reheat for a few minutes.

Rebecca, I hope you're not disappointed in me for loving these discos -- your own from-scratch empanadas are so beautiful. But I don't have the patience most of the time to make the dough from scratch, and these discos are particularly good in flavor and texture. They are hard to find here in RI, too, but readily available in Boston. I think if I look in some of the Latino communities north of Providence, I will be able to find discos here, too.

How have I lived without discos? ;)

Thanks for the heads-up.

I have made savory empanadas using the orange discos (they have Sazon in the dough) and sweet ones using the white ones. Yummy and EASY!!!

Susan, that's exactly how I felt when Ted brought them home!

Cess, I haven't tried the yellow discos yet, but I'm guessing that the Sazon gives them a vibrant and saltier flavor. Must try one of the larger Latino markets to find those. And they are easy, aren't they?!

These are amazingly convenient and awesome! But...don't give up the log house and the herb garden!! No Lydia!! Just live there and I'll fed ex the stuff to you when you need it!

Can you get them mail order????

WORC, I'm a total convert to discos now!

Katie, I wish... As it is, I have to buy them in Boston until I find the markets closer to home that might carry them. Maybe we could pack some in dry ice and ship to your new kitchen, when you get moved in.

Follow-up: yesterday I was wandering through the local grocery store when I remembered this post. So I checked the freezer section, and lo and behold there were FIVE different kinds of frozen empanada pastries! I'm going to try your goat cheese filling this evening!

Ann, this is great -- five kinds of empanada wrappers? I'm moving to your neighborhood!!

Hi, I am from Argentina. We call this pastry rounds "tapas para empanadas". The best Argentinean brand is "La Salteña", very tasty. It comes in three varieties I think: "para hornear" (to bake), "para freir" (to fry), and "livianas" (light, which I tried and was kind of dry. Anyway, if I am already eating an empanada, it better be the real deal :)

The GOYA Discos are the best I have ever eaten. There are alot of others, but the quality is just amazing. You can taste the difference. I even make these stuffed with pizza sauce and cheese, cheeseteak and chicken steak filling. What a wonderful item. My wife and kids love them. They are fun to make and great to eat!!!

Miguel, I think discos are wonderful, too -- and your comment reminds me that I have a package in the freezer, and some odds and ends to use up in the fridge that would make great empanada fillings!

I HAVE RECENTLY MOVE TO KENTUCKY AND I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS ALWAYS ABLE TO FIND THEM IN THE SPAINISH NEIGHBORHOODS IN N.J. OOOH HOW I MISS THEM. DOES ANYONE KNOW IF YOU CAN MAIL ORDER THEM? THE ORANGE ONES WITH ANNATTO IN THEM ARE THE BEST. I HAVE MADE MY OWN DOUGH BUT I CAN'T EVEN GET ANNATO HERE TO MAKE IT ORANGE. PLEASE HELP.

The comments to this entry are closed.