SPINACH EMPANADA

2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

¾ cup oleo, softened

2 ½ cup flour

1 8 oz. container cottage cheese

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ cup finely chopped onion

1/8 tsp nutmeg

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg, beaten

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

In large bowl, beat cream cheese and oleo until smooth. Gradually beat in flour and salt. Knead lightly by hand. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook onion and garlic until tender. Stir in bacon, spinach cottage cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Let cool. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 1/8” thick. Using a 3-inch pastry cutter, cut out as many circles as possible. Repeat with remaining dough. Place 1 tsp. of filling on one half of each circle. Moisten edges of circle with egg and fold the other half of the circle over filling. Place pastries on an ungreased baking sheet. Gently seal edges with the tines of a fork. Brush tops with egg. Use a fork to prick small vents in each pastry. Bake for 10 minutes. Makes 60.