Empanadas (Baked Filled Pastries)

Recipe Ingredients

		***picadillo - (spicy beef filling)
1 lb	454g / 16oz	Ground beef
1 lb	454g / 16oz	Onion - finely chopped (medium)
2 lbs	908g / 32oz	Ripe tomatoes - peel, chop (large)
1		Garlic - minced
1 tablespoon	15ml	Vinegar
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Cumin
1 teaspoon	5ml	Salt
1 teaspoon	5ml	Granulated sugar
1		Ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Ground cinnamon
1/2 cup	80g / 2.8oz	Raisins - soaked in hot water for 10
		Minutes
1/4 cup	23g / 0.8oz	Blanched almonds - chopped
2 tablespoons	30ml	Chopped green olives - (pitted)
1 teaspoon	5ml	Capers
		Pastry
2 cups	125g / 4.4oz	All-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Salt
2 tablespoons	30ml	Granulated sugar
1/2 cup	99g / 3.5oz	Shortening
2 tablespoons	30ml	Unsalted butter
1/4 cup	59ml	Ice water - up to 1/3, up to
1		Egg - separated
1 teaspoon	5ml	Water
2 teaspoons	10ml	Milk

Recipe Instructions

To prepare the filling: Heat a large skillet. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown and release some of its fat. Stir in the onion and cook until transparent. Darin off excess fat and add the rest of the ingredients to the skillet. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool while you prepare the pastry.

To prepare the pastry: Combine the flour, salt, and sugar and mix well. Cut the shortening and butter into the flour mixture until it becomes coarse and crumbly, like cornmeal. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of ice water onto the mixture and stir with a fork, adding more water by the spoonful, if necessary, to make the dough form a ball. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into 24 equal parts. Roll each part into a ball. Preheat the oven to 400F. In a small bowl, beat the egg white with 1 tsp. of water until frothy.

Roll each ball of dough out into a circle 4 inches in diameter and a little until 1/8-inch thick. Place a Tbsp. of filling on one half of each circle, leaving a 1/4-1/2-inch margin around the edges. Moisten the edges with the egg white mixture, then fold the other half of the circle over. Press the edges together firmly and crimp with a fork to seal (or use a cutter-crimper tool.) Transfer the pastries to a large baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg yolk with 2 tsp. of milk. Brush the pastries with this mixture, then bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot or warm.

Makes 24

Source:
Homemade Good News (Vol 5 No 6)

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