Spicy Picadillo Empenadas

This recipe is something of a riff on Tex-Mex tacos and traditional empanadas. I point this out because empanadas are a wonderful vehicle for all kinds of savory and sweet fillings. Think latino hot pockets! They're great for holidays, pot lucks, and even Super Bowl parties. So feel free to experiment with your own variations. The filling I'm using today is a riff on the picadillo taco which is served for breakfast lunch and dinner at family taco stands in my native central Texas. It's a dish that's flavorful, satisfying, and most of all economical. Combine that with an empanada and you have the ultimate finger food! They are best served warm with chimichurri or other hot sauce for dipping. I'll start with the filling then follow with the dough recipe and assembly instructions.

Spicy Picadillo Filling

1lb ground beef
1/2 bell pepper chopped
1/2 medium white onion chopped
1 large russet potato peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
1 Tbs salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika(preferably hungarian)
1 tsp comino(ground cumin)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbs water

In a medium sauce add potatoes and enough water to cover by several inches. Add a few dashes of salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer covered for twenty minutes. Drain and set potatoes aside for later. In a medium sauce pan(I reuse the same one) brown the meat on medium high until just cooked, about 5 minutes, tossing and breaking up the meat as you go. Add the remaining ingredients except for the potatoes and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the onions and peppers soften. About ten minutes. Add the potatoes, stir in well, and then set aside to cool. Now we can make the dough.

Savory empanada dough for baking

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz shortening or butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk or water

You can make the dough by hand or use a stand mixer with a paddle but I prefer using a food processor. Add the dry ingredients and shortening and pulse until the mixture becomes grainy. Add the egg. Add the water slowly and pulse until a clumpy dough forms. You may not need all the water depending on how accurate your flour measurement was. Empty the dough into a bowl and knead a few times to make sure any dry flour is worked in then form into ball. Now we're ready to assemble our empanadas. Pinch off the dough and roll it into 1 1/2 inch balls. I prefer to use a tortilla press to flatten the balls into disks but you can roll them out by hand on a floured surface if you don't have one. A note on tortilla presses, buy a cast iron one. The wood and plastic presses are a joke and I broke my aluminum one after a week. A good cast iron press can be had for about 25 dollars and will last generations if properly cared for. To use a press line both faces with plastic wrap, place your dough ball in the middle and give it a good squeeze. I find I get a rounder disk if I flatten the ball slightly in my hand before I press. The result looks something like this.

Place a spoon full or so of the filling in the center and fold the disk and press the edges together. Then take the empanada in on hand and use your other to pinch and flatten the edge. Then fold the edge back toward the body of the empanada and give it another pinch to seal it. Experienced empanada cooks use this last step to create an attractive fluted edge. I'm still mastering this myself so don't worry if your empanadas aren't picture perfect. They'll still taste great. Once assembled place your empanadas on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. If you still have left over filling, no worries! Just pop it in a warm tortilla and reward yourself for all that hard work. To give them a nice golden finish I brush them with an egg wash before they go in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes and serve while still warm. I hope you find making empanadas as satisfying as I do and stop buying hot pockets for cripes sake. Look for a sweet empanada recipe in the near future!