Empanadas Con Chorizo Y Papas

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

With all the discussion of Cornish Pasties (pastry folded over a
somewhat bland filling of meat, potatoes, turnip and onion, then
baked) and all the various Northeastern U.S. versions thereof, I was
kinda surprised there was no mention of empanadas, the Hispanic
version of the pasty. Unlike the traditional Cornish pasty, the range
of size and fillings used for empanadas allows for a lot of
experimentation. Size can range from small dessert turnovers
(empanaditas) filled with fruit, sweet potato, or pumpkin spiced with
cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, etc.) to large meat pies  (empanada
gallega) big enough to feed a family. Seafood, poultry,  beef, pork,
rice, beans, potatoes, vegetables, and even leftovers  from previous
meals are all acceptable fillings for empanadas.  Picadillo is another
traditional filling for empanadas. The  ingredients generally include
ground beef or pork, onions, tomatoes,  apples, raisins, cinnamon,
cloves, cumin, salt and pepper. My version  of picadillo usually goes
easy on the apples, raisins, cloves and  cinnamon...and, I add roasted
pine nuts, chopped fresh chiles,  Mexican oregano, chile powder and
crushed dried red chile.  "Authentic Mexican" by Rick Bayless with
Deann Groen Bayless includes  a recipe for a Mexican empanada using
flour tortilla dough formed  into flat circles, filled with picadillo,
folded over and sealed,  then deep fried.  Empanada Gallega (of Spanish
origin, I think) is made with a bread  dough that's allowed to rise,
punched down and allowed to rise again,  and then divided and rolled
into two circles about a quarter inch  thick -- kinda like for making
pizza. The filling is spread over one  circle of dough, covered with
the other circle of dough, sealed  around the edge, allowed a short
rest in a warm place to rise a bit,  brushed with beaten egg, and then
baked until golden.  The empanadas I make are generally a little
smaller than a Cornish  pasty with spicier fillings including (not all
at the same time of  course) beef, pork, poultry, sausage, crab,
shrimp, scallops, beans,  potatoes, onions, tomatoes, garlic, fresh
chiles, whatever...and the  appropriate spices to compliment my choice
of ingredients. One of my  favorites is empanadas made with a filling
of Mexican-style chorizo  and potatoes...  Pastry: Sift the dry
ingredients into a bowl. Cut in the shortening.  Add enough ice water
to hold the dough together. Roll out the dough  on a lightly floured
board to about one eighth inch thickness. Cut  the dough into 6 inch
circles (3 inch for dessert empanadas).  Chorizo y Papas: Peel the
chorizo and crumble it into a skillet.  Saute for 10 to 15 minutes.
Don't burn it, add a little vegetable oil  if the chorizo is on the
lean side (not usually a problem with store  bought chorizo). Add the
onion and chiles and saute for another 5 to  10 minutes. Add chopped
tomato and saute about 5 minutes more,  stirring as needed to keep from
burning. Add potatoes and heat  through. Cool and use to fill the
previously prepared pastry.  Making the Empanadas: Spoon filling on one
half of each circle of  pastry, leaving the edge of the pastry without
filling. Moisten the  edge with water, fold the unfilled half of the
circle over the filled  half, press the edges together and flute with
the tines of a dinner  fork to seal. Brush with melted butter or beaten
egg. Bake on a  lightly greased cookie sheet at 400 degrees fahrenheit
until golden  (usually 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size).
Sprinkle with  chile powder or crushed dried red chile as they come out
of the oven.  Posted to CHILE-HEADS DIGEST V3 #210, by Rich McCormack
<macknet@cts.com> on Mon, 13 Jan 1997.

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