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Beef Empanadas

  • Category: Beef, Main Dish
  • Submitted By:
  • Town/State: Sonora, CA
  • Serves: 5
  • Preparation Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Cooking time: 30 minutes

When most Americans hear the term empanada, usually what comes to mind is a sweet dessert pastry usually found in Hispanic marketplaces, stuffed with either apples or some other fruit. But around the world empanadas are also known as a savory dish, being filled with everything from fish to vegetables and cheese. Essentially empanadas are the Hispanic version of the Calzone being a savory (or sometimes sweet) filling surrounded by a pastry or dough jacket that makes them great as easily portable lunches. This version is fairly inexpensive and easy to make, especially if you can obtain pre-made pizza dough from your local take and bake pizzeria.

Amount Measure Ingredients
2 lbs pizza dough separated into 10 pieces about 8″ diameter and 1/8″ thick
1 lb lean ground beef
4 oz chorizo
1 cup enchilada sauce
2 large eggs
2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp green chili sauce such as Tabasco mild green
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lb mozzarella, jack, or cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup canned whole green chilies cut into ½” strips

To prepare:

Combine ground beef, chorizo, 2 tbsp enchilada sauce, and the eggs in a large bowl. Season with the garlic powder, green chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce and pepper, Mix well and separate into small patties. Grill or pan fry over medium heat 5 minutes per side or until medium doneness and set aside to cool slightly. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, while it is heating, assemble the empanadas by placing a circle of the dough on a greased cookie sheet or pizza stone, cover lightly within ½” of the outer edges with enchilada sauce. Next place one of the patties on a half of the circle. Divide the mushrooms, cheese, and green chilies among the remaining empanadas and fold the circles in half, crimping the edges to seal. Cut a small vent hole for steam to escape on each empanada. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve piping hot with sour cream and enchilada sauce.

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