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Make Mexican Treats On A Whim

Lynn Kessel/Photo

Empanadas de Picadillo

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 26, 2007

I've never been able to roll my R's, but I do have a strong fondness for Mexican snack foods, especially tacos, tostadas and empanadas.

Yes, I said snack foods. In Mexico, they're called antojitos, which means little whims or cravings, and they can be purchased from street vendors, snack shops or market stalls.

Back when I was entering my preteen and pre-Taco Bell days, my family vacationed several times in Mexico. When we got back from our first road trip south of the border, Mom purchased a Mexican cookbook and clipped anything relating to Mexican cuisine.

She particularly enjoyed making empanadas, which she often made for special occasions like her supper club gatherings.

I recently leafed through her stash of Mexican recipes from the late 1960s and early 1970s looking for her beef- and pork-stuffed empanada recipe. I had to smile. She had accumulated enough margarita recipes to keep her neighborhood rockin' through the holiday season and well into the New Year.

The word empanada means covered in bread. The flaky, half-moon pastries can be filled with just about anything you can imagine - from cheese and meat to fruit or vegetables. They're as easy to make as they are to eat.

Although Mom made her pastry from scratch, I use ready-to-bake rolled pie crust. The ethnic sections of most grocery stores carry frozen empanada shells. Although technically not authentic like those made from scratch, they're a time saver.

The miniature sizes are called empanaditas. Ideal for entertaining, these no-plate- required finger foods are designed to keep your guests from awkwardly trying to juggle a plate of food in one hand and a napkin, wineglass and utensil in the other. They can be made several days in advance, refrigerated and tightly sealed, then wrapped in foil and re-heated in a 300-degree oven.

This week's recipe - a variation of Mom's - features a filling of meat, fruit and nuts. Although they need no embellishment, they can be served alongside a snappy dipping sauce, a dollop of sour cream or a squirt of lime.

You only need a spoonful of filling to fill an empanada. A little goes a long way. If you end up with more than you need, the filling freezes well. I found that the rim of a margarita glass works perfectly to cut the dough circles.

EMPANADAS DE PICADILLO

1/2 pound ground beef and ground pork

1 teaspoon butter

1 large garlic clove, minced or mashed

1/2 cup tomato puree

1/2 cup seedless raisins

1/4 cup sherry

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 cup slivered almonds

Pie crust mix, enough for a 9-inch, two-crust pie

To prepare the picadillo filling, brown beef and pork together in butter. Add garlic, tomato puree, raisins, sherry, cinnamon, salt, cloves, vinegar and sugar.

Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add almonds; cool. Prepare pastry dough. Roll out 1/8 -inch thick and cut in 3-inch circles for empanaditas, 4- or 5-inch circles for empanadas. Spoon filling mixture on one side of each pastry round, moisten edges of pastry, fold over and seal. Bake in a 375-degree oven until brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 3 1/2 dozen empanaditas or about 15 empanadas.

Lynn Kessel can be reached at lkessel@mac.com or P.O. Box 286, Ruskin FL 33575-0286. Readers are encouraged to send their recipes, comments and suggestions.

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