Spinach and Artichoke Football Empanadas

Ingredients:

• 220 g of cream cheese at room temperature
• 0.5 cup sour cream
• 0.5 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup grated Gruyere
• 1 tbsp. grated mozzarella
• 0.5 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 280g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed out
• 1 can (400g) canned artichoke hearts, chopped
• 2 x 400g packages of empanada dough, thawed
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water
• Special equipment: oval cookie cutter measuring 10 cm.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise and whisk until smooth. Stir in the garlic, cheeses, spinach, and artichoke hearts. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
3. Place one circle of dough on a clean, dry work surface, covering the remaining dough with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Cut out two 10cm (4 in) ovals. Set the scraps aside for lacing the soccer ball. Spoon 1.5-2 heaping tablespoons of filling onto one of the ovals, leaving a 0.5cm (0.2 in) border. Top the filling with the second oval, stretching the dough as needed. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal the two sides and the filling inside.
4. From the remaining dough, cut 1 long strip and 3 short strips. Lay the long strip lengthwise on the oval, then lay 3 shorter strips crosswise. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough. Place the assembled soccer balls on the prepared baking sheet and brush with beaten egg. Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.