New Mexico Mincemeat Empanadas Food

NEW MEXICO FRUIT EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the dough: Mix the flour oil, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar. Add just enough water to make the dough silky. Roll the dough out 1/8-inch thick and cut with a 4-inch cookie cutter.
• For the fruit: Mash the fruit with the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Spoon 2 tablespoons of fruit on one half of a circle of dough, then fold it over to look like a half-moon. Pinch the edges with a fork to seal.
• Bake until brown, about 15 minutes, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

GOLDEN EMPANADA DOUGH

Steps:

• For the dough: Put flour, salt, sugar and lard in large mixing bowl.
• With your hands or an electric mixer, mix this mixture very well.
• Add the egg and mix well.
• Dissolve the yeast in the water and then add to the mixture.
• (If the dough is too dry, add enough water to make it manageable).
• Roll out dough to about 1/4th.
• inch thick.
• Cut circles, about 4 inches wide.
• For the filling: (see recipe for Euphelia's Meat Empanadas).
• Fill each circle with meat mixture.
• Fold and press edges firmly together.
• (You may use a bit of water to help seal the edges-- some people use beaten egg).
• Cut edges with pinking shears to help seal.
• Poke the little pie with a fork once or twice.
• Deep fat fry in oil or shortening until golden brown.

NEW MEXICO EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Pastry Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork, combine the butter and cream cheese. Sift flour over this mixture. Add baking powder, vinegar and water or milk and combine with fork. With generously floured hands, work the dough until you have a smooth resilient ball. 3 to 4 minutes, but keep working the flour into the other ingredients until the dough suddenly holds together. Flour both the table and your rolling pin. Roll out dough and cut out circles. Oil cookie sheets and place circles or sheets, add 1 heaping teaspoon of filling and carefully fold over and crimp with fork and moistening the edge with egg glaze. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Filling Directions: Boil pork. When thoroughly cooked, put in food processor until meat is shredded. Add Raisins, applesauce, sugar, nuts and spices. Mix well and proceed with direction in Empanada Pastry recipe.

MEAT EMPANADA FILLING

Steps:

• Boil meat until tender, cool, grind fine.
• To 2 cups of the minced meat, add the spices, nuts, brown sugar.
• The filling must be moist.
• If the filling is too dry, add more apple jelly or corn syrup.
• (Cooking time includes preparation time).