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These are the tastiest empanadas, and pastrami is such a trendy ingredient right now. If making ahead, they will keep three days, refrigerated without baking.

Servings: 24 to 26

Ready Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Wine Pairings: One big smorgasbord of appetizers could be suitably accompanied by a festive, dry sparkling wine. By all means keep it affordable, as in Italian Prosecco or Spanish cava. For an especially festive twist, turn that wine into a champagne cocktail by first dropping a sugar cube into the flute, soaking it with two or three dashes of cocktail bitters such as Angostura and adding a half-ounce of brandy. Then top up with sparkling wine. If serving just the empanadas, try French Beaujolais or Canadian gamay, both red wines. - Beppi Crosariol

Ingredients

250 g (8 oz) finely chopped pastrami

1 tbsp oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tsp chopped garlic

4 cups finely chopped napa cabbage

1 tbsp sherry vinegar

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 package prerolled frozen puff pastry, defrosted

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup grated cheddar

Freshly ground pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pastrami and sauté for 2 minutes, or until fat has rendered and meat is golden. Spoon meat onto a plate. Add 1 tbsp oil to same pan and return to heat. Add onion, garlic and cabbage, and sauté for 3 minutes or until cabbage is softened. Add sherry vinegar and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and stir in Dijon.

Roll out pastry into a 12-inch (30-cm) square. Cut rounds using a 3-inch (8-cm) cutter. Brush with beaten egg. Spoon 1 tbsp filling into the centre of each round, sprinkle with cheddar and fold over, forming a half-moon. Crimp the edges to seal and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick once with a fork. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with pepper.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until puffed up and golden.

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