Zesty Empanadas
Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, makes about 20 empanadas
3/4 lbs. lean ground beef
Approx. 1 cup of large spicy green olives (from your gourmet grocer), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium white onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 small can of quality chopped green chiles
1/4 cup of salsa (), just enough to hold the dish together
Season to taste with salt, pepper and red pepper flake (the spiciness of the olives can vary so be careful with the red pepper flake)
2 frozen pie crusts
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
In a large saute pan, brown ground beef, drain and set aside. In same pan, saute onion, garlic and green chiles until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add ground beef, olives, cumin, season to taste.
Lay out pie crusts and cut 3 inch circles with a glass. Roll out remaining dough for additional empanadas. Place 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons of filling on cut circles. Fold edges and crimp together. Be careful not too add too much filling, you don't want the juices to run out. Place on cookie sheet.
Lightly beat egg with milk. Brush egg wash on top of empanadas. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes until golden and crispy. Serve with salsa or guacamole, pair with tequila cocktails and Sangrita for an excellent appetizer course.
You can also prepare these ahead of time and freeze them. Just skip the egg wash step until prior to baking. You do not have to defrost empanadas, just baste and bake according to directions. (Source: Don Eduardo Tequila)
http://www.cocktailtimes.com/maindish/don_zesty.shtml
I was going to cut and paste a variety of Empanada recipes to this blog but it will be easier if you just follow the link provided to find more info.
http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/exploresouthamericanfood/a/empanadas.htm
