Yesterday I made empanadas as a savory take on pi day, a numbers nerd holiday based on the number for the mathematical constant 3.1415…. “Pi day” isn’t exactly “pie day” and empanadas aren’t exactly pie, but, looking for an American comparison, Caribbean menus translate pasteles, beef patties and empanadas into “meat pies”. That’s good enough for me.
Although I’ve written about empanadas in the past, this was my first attempt at making them. As always, I was determined to make them from scratch.
A quick browse lead me to two highly rated recipes on my favorite sites, Allrecipes.com and Epicurious.com. I merged the two recipes, adjusting the flavor of the filling to meet my tastes – and they turned out deliciously!
Q: What’s your favorite savory pie or pastry?
Fried Beef Empanadas
Crispy crust around a juicy and complexly-flavored beef and tomato filling. The whole feat took me two hours from start to finish, but after a quick run in the toaster oven, the treats will continue to bring smiles for a few meals to come.
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, reserving 2 tablespoons juice, and chopped
In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and shortening with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles loose crumbs. Mix in the water, a few tablespoons at a time, with a fork until the the mixture comes together in a ball. Shape into a solid ball and flatten slightly. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for one hour.
Cook onion in a large skillet with olive oil, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in garlic, cumin and oregano and cook 1 minute. Add ground beef, breaking with spoon into a small crumble, until brown – about 4 minutes. Add raisins, olives, vinegar, tomatoes and reserved liquid. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until the liquid is reduced. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking! Remove from heat and spread on plate to cool.
Line a damp countertop with plastic wrap (the dampness keeps the plastic from sliding) and sprinkle with flour. Divide the dough into 2-inch balls and roll each into a thin circle. (No one will judge you if they aren’t quite round…mine weren’t.)
Heat oil in a large, deep pot or skillet over medium heat to 360°F.
Mix the beef with chopped egg. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of meat mixture into the center of each pastry circle. Moisten the edge of one half (don’t do both!) with water, fold over and crimp with a fork to seal.
Fry each empanada for 4-6 minutes, turning once. (This can be done in batches, but be careful not to overcrowd your pan.) Drain empanadas on a paper towel and keep warm in a 200°F oven if you are planning to serve them all.
ENJOY!
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