Filling Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large sweet potato, chopped into small cubes
1 carrot, chopped into small cubes
1 green pepper, chopped into small cubes
1 lb lean ground beef
½ cup chipotle in adobo sauce
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp honey
Salt & pepper to taste
+ Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Saute yellow onion and garlic, then add potatoes, carrots and green pepper. Cook until soft.
+ Remove half of the mixture and set aside. Throw in the beef and chipotle in adobo sauce. Stir to break up clumps, cook for 5-7 minutes.
+ Stir in the other half of the reserved vegetable mixture, paprika, chili powder, cayenne and honey.
+ Cover and let sit for 5 minutes on medium low.
+ Salt and pepper to taste.
+ Let mixture cool completely in the fridge before using as filling in pastry.
* Drain excess liquid from the mixture before storing in the fridge to cool.
Dough Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
6 oz unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), chilled and cut into 12 pieces
1 egg
4-5 tbsp water
1 large egg with 1 tsp of room temp. water (Egg wash)
+ To make the dough by hand, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt.
+ Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas.
+ Add the eggs and water; mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.
+ Form a ball, flatten slightly, and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
+ Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas (use round molds or a small plate).
+ Repeat steps 3 & 4 until you finish your dough and filling. Place the unbaked empanadas in ziplock bags and place in freezer. Freezing the empanadas before baking will keep the dough staying crispy.
+ Bake the empanadas until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
[Clicking on the images below will take you to the site where you can purchase them!]
