Spicy Turkey Empanada Filling Recipes

SPICED TURKEY EMPANADA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle turkey with salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Cook turkey, breaking up with a spoon, until brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, olives and jalapeños. Cover; reduce heat to low. Simmer until turkey is cooked through and tomatoes are soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Coat a large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Cut dough into 4 equal portions. Pull dough into 4 flat disks, each 8 inches in diameter. Top each round with 1/2 cup turkey filling. Fold dough in half and fold bottom edge over top. Press closed. Transfer to cookie sheet and coat empanadas with cooking spray. Bake until dough is firm and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with 1/2 cup baby carrots. Store empanadas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

EMPANADAS

Steps:

• For the empanada dough: Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the lard with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg and then whisk in the stock. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and knead until a dough forms. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for the empanada filling: In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and garlic salt and cook until the beef is cooked completely. Drain the grease and set the beef aside.
• In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the tomato paste, vinegar, cumin, chili powder, oregano, seasoned salt, garlic, bell peppers and onions. Cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the beef and let them love each other with fire over low heat for about 5 more minutes. The mixture should be moist but not dripping wet. Now you are ready to fill the empanadas.
• Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out 4-, 5- or 6-inch rounds, depending on how large you prefer. Add some meat filling to each empanada and fold the dough over in half to enclose the filling. Use a fork to press and seal the edges closed. You can refrigerate the uncooked empanadas for up to 3 hours.
• Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Fry the empanadas until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes.
• For the aioli dip: Mix together the mayonnaise, adobo sauce and lime juice. (The flavor will enhance if it sits in the refrigerator.)

SPICY TURKEY EMPANADA FILLING

Steps:

• In a large skillet heat the oil and saute the onions with the rosemary & thyme.
• Once the onions are soft, add the chicken stock & pepper and saute until the liquid is gone.
• Set aside the onion mixture.
• In the same skillet, brown the ground turkey.
• add about half of the chile relish, the potatoe and carrot.
• Cook over med-high heat, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are about 1/2 cooked. Probably about 10-15 minutes.
• Taste for spicyness/heat. Continue adding chile relish with following steps until you get the desired flavor.
• Add celery, roasted pepper, and onion mixture. Stir together and simmer 2-3 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• In a separate bowl beat the eggs. Set aside about 2 Tbsp of the egg to use as an egg wash.
• Mix in mustard, cheese, milk or cream, and bread crumbs.
• Stir mustard mix in to the meat.
• Scoop about 2/3 C of mixture onto a 6" diameter circle of dough.
• Fold the dough over to make a 1/2 circle and crimp shut.
• Put the empanadas on a cookie sheet, about 6 to a sheet.
• Brush with the egg wash (add a little milk to make lighter, a little salt to make shiny).
• Bake in a 400 degree oven 20-30 minutes, until crusts are golden brown.
• OR Freeze in individual bags, or with waxed paper separating individual empanadas in a bag. To cook frozen ones, use a 400 degree oven, just cook a bit longer until hot through and nicely browned.