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Adapted from My Abuela’s Table
The recipe in the cookbook says it makes 10 empanadas but I found it makes approximately 18 . Use refrigerated pie crust for easy assembly. Each pie crust will make 3 (6”) empanadas, if you reroll the pastry scraps, so you would need 3 packages of refrigerated pie crust for this recipe. These empanadas can be made in advance and then frozen to bake later. If baking from frozen, allow additional baking time, cover will foil to prevent overbrowning if needed.
Ingredients
1 lb beef stew meat, cubed
2 fresh chorizo sausages, casing removed
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 bay leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, undrained
1 bottle Mexican beer
3 packages store-bought pie crust or your favorite pie crust recipe
1 egg, beaten with water for egg wash
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over high heat. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add chorizo (removed from casings) and cook for 5 minutes. Add beef cubes stirring until browned, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients to pot, stir well. Cover pan and allow to simmer 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove lid and continue to simmer, allowing some of the liquid to evaporate. Cook another 45 minutes until mixture is thickened. Set aside and let the filling cool before assembling empanadas.
I used my Nordic Ware pocket pie press, or you can use a bowl as a template and cut a circle of dough for your empanadas, crimping the edges of with a fork to seal them. My pie press cuts 6″ circles of dough.
Unwrap refrigerated dough and roll out on a floured surface. Using back of pie press, cut circle out of pastry dough. Each refrigerated pie crust will give you (3) 6 “ circles of dough, rerolling the scraps. Lightly dust pie press with flour. Place dough circle onto top of crimped side of pie press, pressing dough circle down slightly in center.
Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of filling onto indented portion of pastry circle. Using a pastry brush, brush edges of pastry circle with egg wash. Seal pie with press and place pies on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake at 400 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Let rest about 10 minutes before serving.