INGREDIENTS
For the meat:
2 tablespoons Crisco Pure Olive Oil, or to cover pan
1 large russet potato, diced
1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb ground beef
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon California chile powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
6 oz canned tomato sauce
For assembly:
prepared tortilla masa
prepared meat
extra flour in a small shallow bowl
1/2 cup Crisco Light Tasting Olive Oil
PROCEDURE
For the meat:
- Heat a large skillet to medium hot. Add 2 tablespoons (or enough to cover) the pan. Once shimmering, add potatoes. Reduce to low, cover and let cook for three minutes. Remove lid, stir potatoes and add onions. Sprinkle the vegetables with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes (or until the potatoes are fork tender) stirring occasionally. Remove cooked potatoes from pan. Set aside.
- In same skillet, add ground beef breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add cumin, garlic, coriander, paprika, chile, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Add back the potatoes. Add the tomato sauce, stir and remove from heat. Place mixture in a bowl and set aside.
For assembly:
- Wrapping your hand around the masa, gently squeeze the masa between your index finger and thumb, pinching away about a walnut-sized ball of masa. Continue with remainder of masa returning pre-formed balls to the bowl as you go. Keep masa balls covered while working to keep them from forming a "skin" and drying out.
- Place ball of masa into the flour, covering the ball with flour. Remove and while holding the masa over your clean dry work surface, use your thumbs to form a disk turning the masa clockwise while pinching in order to keep it round. Once it's about 1/4" - 3/8" thick, place a little more flour on work surface, lay the masa in the middle of it and use a rolling pin up and down a couple of times while applying a little bit of pressure. Masa should be an elongated oval shape. Flip the tortilla turning it a quarter turn. Roll up once, then down until your tortilla is about 4" round.
- Take about 1 - 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture and place on half of the tortilla in a half moon form. Gently pull over the other side of the tortilla to cover the meat, making sure you have a bout 1/4" of meat-free edge along the seams. Starting on one end of the seams, gently roll up the masa to fit snuggly against the meat and pinch as you work your way around to the end. You can use your thumbnail to "score" the rolled seam to make sure it's a tight seal or use a fork. Place on a platter. Cover and continue until all the meat and/or masa is gone.
- Heat a skillet to medium hot. Add 1/2 cup of oil or until oil is about an inch high. Once oil is shimmering and hot, gently lay in the empanadas, always starting at the back of the pan and laying them in AWAY from you so as to not risk splashing yourself with oil. Place enough of the empanadas into the pan to fry them without them touching and leaving enough room for you to flip them easily. These will cook fairly quickly -- about 3 minutes on each side or until nice and golden brown. Always flip them away from you and once they are ready, remove to a paper towel lined platter. Continue until all the meat pies are cooked. Serve immediately with a side of Spanish rice and re-fried beans. Garnish with any combination of fresh salsas, sour cream, guacamole, chopped fresh cilantro or pico de gallo.
Source: Confessions Of A Foodie
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