Cuban beef empanadas
Beef second courses
Empanadas are hand-held pies that have been popular in Latin America for centuries. Every country has their own renditions and fillings that span the range from savory, to spicy, to sweet. These are classic Cuban empanadas, filled with a minced meat filling called “picadillo.” There are as many picadillo recipes as there are home cooks, but this is my rendition. The result is flaky pastries filled to the rim with spicy beef. I don’t know anyone who can eat only one! <br /> <br />A few pointers for you as you set out to make these: Make the filling at least 2 hours ahead of time so that the juices have time to congeal (they will melt back as they fry, yielding a juicy filling). If you don’t have a thermometer to measure the temperature of the oil, try inserting the back of a wooden spoon into the hot oil—if it sizzles on contact, it’s ready to fry. I find it easier to turn the empanadas as they fry with two forks. Never use tongs to turn them over or you’ll risk breaking them. Set them over the prepared pans to drain—do not skip this step as it prevents soggy pastry. Line a baking pan with parchment paper to set the filled empanadas so they don't stick; you can refrigerate these for up to 3 hours before frying. Fit another large baking pan with a metal cooling rack; use this pan to set the fried empanadas to drain. <br /> <br />You’ll find prepackaged empanada discs in the freezer section of most grocery stores (popular brands are GOYA® and La FE®) <br /> <br />If you enjoy making these, you may also have fun cooking from my new cookbook, Empanadas: The Hand-Held Pies of Latin America, which will hit bookstores on April 21, 2015! <br /> <br />Buen Provecho! <br />
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