INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the flour with the lard, butter, and salt.
Mix lightly with your fingertips until the dough forms grapesized
pieces. You should still be able to see streaks of fat. Stir in the
water. Lightly knead, handling the dough as little as possible, until
the dough forms a ball. Add a little more water if needed.  Refrigerate
for at least 1 hour, then remove and let it return to  room
temperature, about 1 hour, before rolling. The dough can be  frozen for
as long as a week. Pinch off about half the dough. Roll  out, on a
floured surface, to a thickness of 1/8inch. Cut out 3inch  circles.
Then, gather the scraps, add to the rest of the dough, and  roll out
another batch of circles. Repeat, with the rest of the  scraps. This
should be enough dough for about 24 empanadas.  In a large heavy
skillet, over a mediumhigh heat, saute the ground  beef until the meat
is browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off the  excess fat. Add the
onion and saute 2 minutes. Then add the garlic,  almonds, and raisins,
and saute 1 minute. Place the tomatoes, chiles,  lime juice, salt, and
pepper in a blender and puree until smooth. Add  the puree, cumin,
cinnamon and salt and pepper to the skillet and  cook for about 5
minutes to get rid of any excess liquid. Cool. Place  a spoonful of
filling in the center of each circle of pastry. Fold  over the pastry
and seal the edges. Let the empanadas rest in the  refrigerator 1/2
hour or freeze immediately. (Bake the frozen  empanadas without
defrosting.) Empanadas may be glazed (1 egg and 2  tablespoons milk,
well beaten) and baked until golden in a 400 degree  oven, for about 15
minutes. Or they may be deepfried in oil at 375  degrees until golden
brown, 1 to 2 minutes a side. (If you deepfry  them, make sure the
edges are well sealed so the filling won't leak.)  Yield: about 24
empanadas Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #331  Recipe by: TOO HOT
TAMALES SHOW #TH6274  From: Meg Antczak <meginny@frontiernet.net>
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 08:08:48 -0500

A Message from our Provider:

“Jesus feels your pain”