| Empanadas Savory Mincemeat |
| Mincemeat Empanadas ~ 2 cups apple cider 4 long green chiles or 4 chipotle chiles, minced 1 cup raisins 1½ cups apples; peeled and chopped ¼ lb ground beef or ( Carne Deshebrada ) 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cloves 1 tsp ground ginger ½ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground allspice ¼ cup brandy or dark rum 1 pastry recipe 1. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine cider, raisins and green chile. Cover and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Add apples, beef, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. Simmer 2 hours longer. Add water as necessary to keep mincemeat from sticking to saucepan. Cool mincemeat to room temperature, add the liquor and let sit at least overnight before making empandas. 3. Mincemeat can frozen. If frozen, thaw mincemeat before making empanadas. 4. Prepare pastry and refrigerate until ready to use-at least 30 minutes. Make Empanadas: 1. Put a small amount of filling on one side of each round, (enough so you can fold over the other half and seal.) Dip fork in cold water and press edges together with fork tines. 2. Let sit for 30 minutes on one side , then turn over and let sit for 30 minutes on the other side. (this helps dry and seal the edges) Fry in about ¼-inch hot oil until golden brown on each side. Serve hot or cold Pastry Recipe: 3 cups all purpose flour 1½ tsp baking powder ¾ tsp salt ½ cup shortening (Crisco) ½ to 2/3 cups ice water oil for frying Make pastry: Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening to a crumbly consistency. Add enough ice water to make dough stick together. (The less you work the dough and the less water you use, the lighter the crust will be.) Thinly roll out dough (about 1/8 inch)on a floured surface and cut into 4½ to 5-inch rounds. |
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