Pastelitos De Carne Central American Meat Pies Food

PASTELITOS DE CARNE (CENTRAL AMERICAN MEAT PIES)

Steps:

• On medium high in a large pan, cook the ground beef and drain extra fat. To the cooked beef, add in the rice, cilantro and salt to taste. Cook for about 2 more minutes to heat thru. Set aside and let cool for about 7-10 minute.
• Meanwhile, In a large bowl, mix the masa harina, paprika, chicken bullion and pepper.
• Using a Pastry blender or fork, cut the lard into the masa mix until the masa is crumbly and the lard is pea size or smaller.
• Add the warm water, 1 cup at a time, to the masa and using your hands, mix well until the water is fully incorperated. The masa should not be sticky or dry. If it is sticky add a little bit more masa (1 tspn at a time) or if it is dry add water (1 tbspn at a time).
• Rub a little bit of cooking oil into your hands to make the following step easier. Take out about 2 table spoons of masa and roll into a ball. Using a tortilla press or a rolling pin, make the ball into the size of tortilla but be careful not to roll out to thin. The thickness has to be twice as thick as a tortilla or about the thickness of a pita bread. If it is too thin, the pies will not hold when you stuff them.
• Heat your deep fry oil on a large frying pan on medium high heat (almost high heat).
• Place rolled out dough on a flate surface and add about 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture in the middle. Close in half (creating the shape of a meat pie or half moon). Seal in edges with your fingers and creat small indintations with the end of a fork all around the edge of the pie.
• Before frying, test oil readiness by dropping a small piece dough into the oil. If it automatically sizzles and floats to the top, it is ready. Carefully slide in meat pies into the hot oil and cook about 3-4 minutes per side or until deep golden brown.
• Drain very well on paper towels. You can also slightly press a paper towel against the fried pies to remove excess oil. You can serve whole over a bed of shredded green cabbage or cut in half and serve Sarita's All purpose Tomato Sauce on the side.

GOURMET PASTELILLOS (MEAT PIES)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion, tomato sauce, olives, sofrito, sazon, garlic, and oregano. Bring to a simmer and cook until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.
• Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of meat mixture into the middle of a disco. Fold dough over, moisten edges, and press with a fork to seal. Repeat with remaining meat mixture and discos.
• Pour oil into a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Fry pastelillos until golden brown and bubbly, about 3 minutes each. Drain on paper towels before serving.

EMPADINHAS (BRAZILIAN SHRIMP PIES)

Steps:

• Make the dough.
• Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
• Place the butter, shortening, eggs, salt, and 1 cup water in the well.
• Using one hand to mix, squeeze these ingredients through your fingers to make a paste.
• Gradually work in the flour, squeezing the dough between your fingers to mix it.
• Add water as necessary: the dough should be quite soft.
• Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
• Prepare the filling.
• Peel and devein the shrimp (my favorite yucky part...).
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
• Sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until soft but not brown.
• Add the shrimp, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, plus water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked.
• Strain the shrimp, reserving the broth.
• Finely chop the shrimp by hand or in the food processor.
• Stir in the flour, peas, and olives.
• Stir in 3-4 tablespoons of the reserved broth: the filling should be moist but not runny.
• Add enough cayenne to give the shrimp mixture a little bite.
• Pinch off cherry-sized pieces of dough and use them to line the tartlet molds.
• Push the dough in with your thumb.
• The dough should just reach over the top of the mold.
• Place a spoonful of filling in each crust.
• Roll out the remaining dough and cut out tops for the empadinhas.
• Try to capture an air bubble when you place the top over the filling: this is what makes the pie light.
• Seal the tartlets by pinching together the top and bottom crust.
• Note: the empadinhas can be prepared ahead to this stage and frozen.
• Preheat the oven to 375° F.
• Brush the tops of the empadinhas with egg glaze.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Unmold and serve.
• If you're lazy like me, try this big pie version, called empadão: make the filling and use Pillsbury pie crusts, one for the bottom and one for the top.
• Fantastic dinner stuff!
• To make chicken empadinhas-------------.
• Cook the chicken and prepare the broth.
• Place the chicken in a small saucepan with the garlic, onion, bay leaf and water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and gently simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
• Drain the chicken, reserving the broth.
• When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and finely shred the meat.
• Discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaf.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
• Sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until soft but not brown.
• Add the chicken, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, plus water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Procede as in step 3 above, stirring in the flour, peas, and olives.
• And so on.