One thing I’ve come to love, in starting this blog, is celebrating food holidays I never even knew existed. Today is no exception. I remember when I had my first empanada, 20-some years ago, and just how magical the experience was. A lovely flaky crust tucked around a savory meat filling. It was pure bliss. What I soon discovered, though, is that not all empanadas are the same, and some are just not that great - over-cooked, too greasy, filling is too moist which ruins the pastry, bland, etc.
Once I learned that even commercial places couldn’t get it right all the time, I quickly shooed the idea from my brain that I could possibly make one as delicious as my first. Ah, the limitations we willingly force upon ourselves. Anyway, I was an idiot for waiting this long. Thankfully, Empanada Day saved me from myself and forced me into unchartered territory. I’m even getting better at rolling out dough - miracles happen everyday! So, see below and try your hand at making these delicious, savory, blissful treats.
Picadillo Empanadas adapted from The Best Mexican Recipes, America’s Test Kitchen
Dough
3 ¾ cups AP flour
1 tbsp sugar
1.5 tsp salt
12 tbsp butter, ½-inch dice, cold
1.5 cups ice water
Extra-virgin olive oil
Picadillo
½ onion
½ red bell pepper
Small red-skinned potato
Carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
½ lb 90% lean beef
14 oz can whole tomatoes, drained
2 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch pieces
Small jalapeño, halved and seeded
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
¼ cup freshly shredded queso fresco
Prepare the dough.
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a food process and give a mix for 3 seconds. Top with the cold butter and pulse 20 times. Pour the mix into a large bowl and pour in ⅓ of the water. Mix with a hard rubber spatula. Gradually sprinkle on the remaining water in small portions, and stir to combine until it becomes a cohesive ball.
Split the dough ball in half and place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap. Pat into a 6-inch disc and wrap tightly. Place in the fridge for at least an hour. Remove from the fridge 10 minutes prior to rolling out the dough.
Picadillo
While the dough rests, dice the onion, red pepper, potato and carrot into ¼-inch pieces. Place the potato in a bowl of water so it doesn’t brown.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet, over medium heat, and sauté the onion and pepper with a pinch of salt. After a few minutes, stir in the garlic and chili powder until fragrant. Then stir in the beef and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
While the meat cooks, mix the tomatoes, tortilla pieces and jalapeño in a food processor for about 30 seconds.
When the meat is no longer pink, stir in the tomato mixture along with the carrots and drained potato. Bring to a simmer, cover, lower the meat to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the top from the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high, stirring frequently, to cook off any excess liquid. This should be a “tight” mixture. Excess liquid will ruin the empanada dough. Stir in the cilantro and then spread the mixture out on a plate and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes to completely chill.
Finish the dough
While the picadillo chills, let the dough come to temperature for 10 minutes. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
After that time, flour a surface and the dough and roll out each disc into a rough 18-inch circle. Using a 4-inch cookie cutter (or an inverted ramekin) cut out 12 rounds from each dough. You may need to combine and roll out the excess dough to get the last few rounds.
Make the empanadas
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with the racks in the upper and lower third. Stir the cheese into the chilled picadillo.
Dip your fingers in some water and wet the ring of each dough round. Place about a tablespoon of filling in the middle of each dough round. Fold the bottom half of the dough round over the filling and press to seal all around. Using a fork, crimp the edges of each empanada.
Place the empanadas on the parchment paper-lined baking sheets and brush them with some olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheets half-way through cooking.
Let the empanadas cool a few minutes before eating. ____________________________ Copyright 2021, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
Comments