Spicy Sausage Empanadas Food

SPICY SAUSAGE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet.
• When the oil is heated, add the onions and saute until they are softened.
• Add the sausage meat and pepper flakes and cook making sure to break the sausage into pieces while stirring so that it isn't one big clump of meat.
• Once the sausage is cooked, taste and season with extra salt if necessary.
• Add the cream, and stir to combine.
• Remove the cooked sausage from the heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
• Stir the cheese into the cooled down sausage filling. Set aside until ready to make empanadas.
• Make the empanada dough as written here, and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
• Roll out the chilled empanada dough until it's about 2 - 3 mm thick.
• Cut 3.5 inch circles from the rolled out dough.
• Fill the middle of each circle with a little sausage filling.
• Dab the edges of the empanada dough circle with water and fold over the pastry to seal in the filling.
• Press down the edges to seal, and use a fork to crimp the edges.
• Place the empanadas in one layer, on a baking tray.
• Keep it covered with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to fry, IF you will be frying these within 24 hours.
• Heat remaining oil to deep fry the empanadas to 350°F / 180°C.
• Fry the empanadas in the hot oil, 2 minutes per side, until the pastry turns a golden brown.
• Drain excess oil by placing the fried empanadas on paper towels or newspaper.
• Heat remaining oil to deep fry the empanadas to 350°F / 180°C.
• Fry the frozen empanadas for about 4 minutes per side, until the pastry turns golden brown (maybe slightly darker).
• Drain excess oil by placing the fried empanadas on paper towels or newspaper.
• Enjoy while hot with dipping sauce!

SAUSAGE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Let pie crusts stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Crumble sausage into a medium skillet.
• Add onion, garlic powder, cumin and oregano.
• Cook over medium-high heat until sausage is no longer pink.
• Drain drippings.
• Stir in olives and raisins.
• Beat the egg yolk slightly; stir into sausage mixture, mixing well.
• Carefully unfold crusts.
• Cut 6 circles using a 3" cookie cutter.
• I use the Pampered Chef Cut-N-Seal(See NOTE below).
• Place about 2 tsps of the sausage filling on the cutouts.
• Top with 6 more cutouts.
• Be sure the edges are sealed.
• Moisten fingers with water and pinch dough to seal edges.
• Slightly beat the egg white; gently brush over tops of empanadas.
• Bake in a 425* oven 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.
• NOTE: I make 6 cutouts using the Pampered Chef Cut-N-Seal.
• Add the filling.
• Make the toppers one at a time.
• As you cut one place it over the top of your filled one and push down on the Cut-N-Seal.
• Check the edges for sealing.

POTATO AND CHORIZO EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Filling: In a sauce pan, cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for about 6 minutes until potato is tender.
• Drain water from potatoes.
• Place 1/4 cup of broth in a skillet and add sausage.
• Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.
• Add onion and bell pepper and cook 2 minutes.
• Add cooked potatoes and 1/4 cup broth and cook until liquid evaporates.
• Chill chorizo mixture while preparing dough.
• Dough: Level flour with a knife in measuring cup.
• Mix 1/2 cup of flour, water and vinegar, stirring with a whisk to combine.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a separate bowl mix: 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
• Cut shortening into dough with a pastry blender or 2 knives.
• Should resemble coarse meal.
• Add this mixture to wet mixture and toss until flour mixture is moist.
• Chill dough in freezer for 10 minutes.
• Place on floured surface and roll out into a rectangle (18x12).
• Using a biscuit cutter and cut into 4 inch circles.
• Spoon 1 tbsp filling into circles and leave a 1/2 inch border.
• Seal dough with fingers.
• Combine water and egg and brush egg mixture over dough to help seal.
• Place on baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes until golden brown.