My second son asked for my husband’s specialty—fried chicken—for his birthday earlier this month. We happily obliged, and when the meal was done we were left with a pot of oil that still had some life in it. I didn’t feel like filtering it, so I looked through the fridge for something else to fry.
I found leftover holiday ham, a half bag of shredded Swiss cheese, a jar of grainy Dijon mustard, a bit of prepared horseradish, and two packages of thawed empanada wrappers. Within fifteen minutes I had chopped the ham, mixed it with the cheese, stirred in the mustard and horseradish with a touch of mayonnaise, filled and crimped the wrappers, and dropped those little pockets into the hot oil.
Some of the best meals come from frugal creativity, and this was one of them.
They turned into crunchy, hot, melty sandwich pockets: ham and Swiss tucked inside a crisp shell with a creamy grainy-Dijon and horseradish dressing. I debated calling them empanadas because of the wrappers, but they’re more like deep-fried sandwich pockets to me. Either way, they were irresistible. What do you think?
When we broke one open, the cheese stretched and the filling was creamy and flavorful. The combination of grainy mustard, mayonnaise, and horseradish becomes a smooth dressing that complements the ham and melted Swiss cheese perfectly.
If you’re nervous about deep frying, don’t worry—there are other ways to cook these. They’re great deep-fried, but you can also shallow-fry or bake them with very good results. Baking or shallow-frying won’t produce quite the same level of crunch, but the pockets will still be delicious. As a bonus, the unfried or baked pockets freeze beautifully, so you can keep a stash in the freezer for quick snacks or parties.
When to serve them? Pretty much anytime. They’re ideal for game day or Super Bowl gatherings, easy party appetizers, or an after-school snack that kids will love. Pack them for lunches or picnics, or wrap them in foil for winter hikes and outdoor adventures. Handheld and portable, these pockets fit into a wide range of menus and occasions.
Whether you call them fried sandwich pockets or empanadas, they’re sure to be a hit.
Ham and Swiss Fried Sandwich Pockets | Make Ahead Mondays
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups diced ham
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
- 2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 20 empanada wrappers
- canola, vegetable, or peanut oil for frying, or canola for brushing before baking
Instructions
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In a mixing bowl, stir together the diced ham, shredded Swiss, grainy Dijon, mayonnaise, and horseradish until evenly combined. Working with one wrapper at a time, place about 1 1/2–2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the wrapper. Fold the edges together and crimp to seal completely—decorative crimping is optional, but make sure they are well sealed. Set each pocket on a parchment-lined pan in a single layer. Repeat until the filling or wrappers are used up.
To Freeze for Later:
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Place the tray in the freezer until the pockets are solid, then transfer to a zipper-top bag and store for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen when ready.
To Deep Fry:
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Pour oil into a heavy, high-sided pan to fill 1/3–1/2 full, no higher. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry pockets in batches without overcrowding for 4–6 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and heated through with fully melted cheese. If cooking from frozen, add a minute or two. Drain on paper towels and serve warm or at room temperature with your favorite dips.
To Shallow-Fry:
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Pour about 1 inch of oil into a heavy, high-sided skillet. Heat over medium until the oil shimmers and a tip of a pocket sizzles. Fry in batches, turning once, for 4–6 minutes until golden and hot through. Add time if cooking from frozen. Drain on paper towels and serve warm or at room temperature.
To Bake:
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Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the tops and bottoms of the pockets with oil and place them on a parchment-lined pan. Bake about 20 minutes, until puffed, golden, and hot throughout. If baking from frozen, add up to 5 extra minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients and quantities you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.
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