El Sol Bakerys Empanadas Recipes

EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into circles, 3 inches in diameter; a plastic lid from a 1 pound coffee can makes perfect circle cutter. Dampen the outside edge of the circle with water. Place 1 1/4 tablespoons of apricot filling in the center of each pastry circle. Fold pastry in half over filling and pinch together to seal; can press with fork to seal. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over each Empanada. Place Empanadas on a baking tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Mix flour and salt in large mixing bowl. Add shortening. Blend flour and shortening into little pieces to look like tiny peas. Add water all at once by sprinkling. Stir with fork to incorporate water into mixture. Add more water if needed. Flour your work surface and hands, scoop dough out of the bowl, place it onto your work surface and pat into a ball. Divide into 3 or 4 smaller balls.
• Place dried fruit in a large pan and cover with water. Cook at medium heat until fruit is soft and almost mushy. Drain excess water. Mix sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg (Pinon nuts are optional) into the fruit mixture, stirring until it is thick. Set aside to cool.

EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour with the lard, butter, and salt. Mix lightly with your fingertips until the dough forms grapesized pieces. You should still be able to see streaks of fat. Stir in the water. Lightly knead, handling the dough as little as possible, until the dough forms a ball. Add a little more water if needed. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, then remove and let it return to room temperature, about 1 hour, before rolling. The dough can be frozen for as long as a week. Pinch off about half the dough. Roll out, on a floured surface, to a thickness of 1/8inch. Cut out 3inch circles. Then, gather the scraps, add to the rest of the dough, and roll out another batch of circles. Repeat, with the rest of the scraps. This should be enough dough for about 24 empanadas.
• Filling: In a large heavy skillet, over a medium high heat, saute the ground beef until the meat is browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off the excess fat. Add the onion and saute 2 minutes. Then add the garlic, almonds, and raisins, and saute 1 minute. Place the tomatoes, chilies, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the puree, cumin, cloves, cinnamon and salt and pepper to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes to get rid of any excess liquid. Cool. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each circle of pastry. Fold over the pastry and seal the edges. Let the empanadas rest in the refrigerator 1/2 hour or freeze immediately. (Bake the frozen empanadas without defrosting.) Empanadas may be glazed (1 egg and 2 tablespoons milk, well beaten) and baked until golden in a 400 degree oven, for about 15 minutes. Or they may be deep-fried in oil at 375 degrees until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes a side. (If you deepfry them, make sure the edges are well sealed so the filling won't leak.)

EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a saucepan, saute onions, green pepper, ground meat, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper in olive oil until lightly browned. Add water and simmer covered for until meat is cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool, then fold in the chopped boiled egg and olives.
• Defrost puff pastry at room temperature and roll out on a floured work surface. Cut pastry with either a fluted dough press or cookie cutter to make 3 1/2-inch circles.
• While holding 1 circle at a time in your hand, spoon 1 teaspoon of meat mixture into the middle. Fold pastry in half and secure the circle by pressing the edges together with a fork to make a seal. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Place the empanadas on a well-buttered baking sheet and brush the tops with egg white. Bake for about 20 minutes or until pastry is well puffed and golden. Remove from the oven, let cool then serve.