Beef Empanadas

Beef Empanadas

Empanadas are one of Brians favorite treats that he used to enjoy at a tiny joint in Soho. He's been begging me to make them, so what better way to use up the leftover beef carnitas from last night? Many cultures have a version of filled pastry pockets from calzones to pasties. Empanadas are Argentine in origin and can be either fried or baked and filled with anything from sweet to savory ingredients. If you don't want to hassle with making your own dough, simply use store bought pie crust or even puff pastry. This dough has the addition of masa harina (a form of corn meal) which makes it slightly less flakey. Next time, I would replace the masa harina with more flour. Try any filling you prefer from shredded chicken to chocolate for dessert!

origin - The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman
difficulty - medium
health meter - medium

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, plus a litt flour for rolling the dough
1/2 cup masa harina, fine cornmeal or more all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup lard, shortening or begetable oil
2 1/2 cups filling of choice (see beef carnitas entry)
1/2 cup milk *I would use egg instead as it will give you a much shinier crust

Mix the flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt together in a food processor; process for about 5 seconds. With the machine running, add the lard and process for 10 seconds. Then with the machine still running, gradually add about 1/2 cup cold water, stopping when the dough forms a ball; the dough should be fairly dry. Knead by hand until smooth, just a minute or so. You can also cut the shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Divide the dough into 12 pieces, roll each piece into a ball, wrap in plastic or cover with a damp towel and let rest for at least 20 minutes. you can refrigerate the dough overnight but be sure to let it come to room temperature before proceeding. On a well floured surface, roll each piece into a 6 inch circle adding flour as necessary. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (I only heated to 425). Place a couple of tablespoons of filling on each of the circles, then fold each circle over; seal the seam with a few drops of water and press with the tines of a fork to close. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and brush lightly with milk (or egg wash). Bake until the dough is golden brown about 20 minutes. Serve immediately or at room temperature.