Empanadas Paisas Meat Filled Turnovers Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes more. Stir in tomato sauce, olives, Sofrito, Sazon, garlic, oregano and black pepper. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.
• On a lightly floured work surface, using a rolling pin, roll out discos until 1/2-inch larger in diameter. Spoon about 1 tbsp. meat mixture into middle, fold in half to form a half moon; moisten edges with water and pinch to seal closed, or seal with a fork.
• Fill a deep saucepan with oil to a depth of 2 1/2-inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking (350 degrees F on deep-fry thermometer). Cook Empanadas in batches until crisp and golden brown, flipping once, 4 - 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, combine the water, egg and vinegar. Add to shortening mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly with a fork until mixture forms a ball. Cover and chill for 30 minutes., Meanwhile, combine the first six filling ingredients. Divide pastry into 15 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion into a 6-1/2-in. circle. , Mound a heaping 1/3 cup filling on half of circle. Moisten edges with water; fold dough over filling and press edges with a fork to seal. Transfer to a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling. , Cut three slits in the top of each turnover; brush with cream. Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender and crust is golden brown.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, scallions, and bell pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add ground beef, oregano, salt, cayenne pepper, and cumin to the onion mixture. Cook and stir beef until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, then cover and place in the refrigerator until meat is completely cooled, about 1 hour.
• Remove filling from the refrigerator and transfer into a colander to drain. Return filling to the Dutch oven.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Liberally grease a baking sheet with butter.
• Place about 2 tablespoons filling into the center of an empanada disc. Fold empanada in half into a crescent shape, press the edges of the dough together with a fork or your fingers to seal, and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining empanadas and filling. Brush tops with egg white.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Empanada Dough: Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Cut in shortening, mixture should be sandy. Add the egg and wine, pulse until dough comes together in a ball. The dough should be pliable; if not add more wine.
• Assembly: Separate the dough into 3 balls. Roll the first ball out until it is 1/4 inch thick. With a 6-inch round cutter, cut circles out of all the dough. Remove the edges and save for the next roll. Fill each circle with about 2 1/2 tablespoons in the center of the dough.
• Dip a small brush in room temperature water, run the brush around the edge of the dough. Close 1 side to the other forming a half moon shape. Close the edges pressing lightly with the back of a fork.
• In a deep saute pan, heat 4 to 5 inches of canola oil on medium high heat to 360 degrees F. Add the empanadas turn over constantly until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Combine the onions, scallions, salt, pepper and ground cumin seed in a plastic bag large enough to hold everything. Add the meat and marinate overnight.
• Remove meat from the marinade, reserve marinade.
• Brown the meat in the vegetable oil, then add the reserved marinade and add water. Cook until the meat is tender (40 minutes). Remove and grind the meat. Save the stock from cooking the meats.
• Sauté the onions and scallions in 4 Tbsp oil. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry an additional 3 or 4 minutes.
• Mix in the ground meats and meat stock and cook for about 10 minutes.
• Peel and mash the cooled, boiled potatoes and add them to the meat and vegetable mixture.
• Mix the salt, pepper and ground cumin seed into the meat and potato mixture.
• For the dough:.
• Boil the dry yellow corn in sufficient water to cover the corn, for about 30 minutes.
• Put the cooked corn through a grinder.
• Add the salt, cornstarch and brown sugar to the ground corn.
• Knead the dough until it is thoroughly mixed and forms a firm ball.
• Pick off small pieces and form into the size of small balls. Flatten each piece thin.
• Put about 1 tsp of the meat mixture in the center of the flattened ball. Fold over and pinch edges together to close and form a pretty edge.
• Place in deep, hot vegetable oil and fry about 3 or 4 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove and put on paper towels in a colander.
• Serve immediately or reheat in a paper bag in the oven prior to serving.
• The meat mixture can be made in advance and stored in the freezer, but the dough must be made fresh the day of use.