Sharing Time- Grandma Josie's Empanadas

My recipe is coming from pure memory. It is holiday time, and for some reason, I am remembering making these with my grandma. When I type Empanadas on Google image, these pop up. Grandma never had a written down recipe. I think few elderly people actually use a written recipe, but I do..and I need to. So...my grandma has been gone for 16 yrs, gosh it doesn't seem possible. For me, certain things I make reminds of a memory. Every Christmas or Thanksgiving my grandma always made these and her Italian Sausage bread. I have tried empanadas since my grandma has been gone, they're good but they aren't the same. And you see this is the challenge I have. I'm writing this down to test my version of this recipe. I'll follow up and let you know what I think. But what I know is her empanada is not  pie like, its not really flaky, but like a sopapilla, or for those that don't know what that is, like a scone..or Indian fry bread, with the ingredients on the inside. Ready or not, here I go.

Grandma Jose's Empanadas

1/2  a lb of Hamburger, I don't know the fat content..whatever.
1/2 a pkg  (same )  Ground Pork
1/2 a pkg   Ground Veal...look near the pork or chicken
1 or 2 tbsp Cinnamon
1 or 2 tbsp Sugar or maybe more to taste. I'm going to try the Splenda sugar blend.
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg (As I said, not sure on these spices, I do remember the Cinnamon, I think the nutmeg and cloves would compliment it.)
1/2 c golden raisins
1/2 c shelled pinion nuts
Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt
4 to 6 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups warm milk (approximate)
Vegetable Oil (for frying)

The recipe comes from a sopapilla recipe. I'm adapting this for the empanadas. Brown the hamburger, pork and veal with a little olive oil. When finsihed drain well on paper towels. Next, process meat mixture in  food processor till nice and ground. Add back to pan and add seasonings, raisins and pinion nuts.  Prepare dough.

The following is a general dough recipe I got off the internet. But if you have your own homeade tortilla recipe. Go ahead and use that!

In a large bowl, blend together the flour baking powder, and salt.

With a pastry cutter (unless you are one of those, like my teachers, who always used their hands) cut in the lard or shortening.

Add the milk all at once, and mix the dough quickly with a fork or by hand until the dough forms a mass.

Roll the dough half you have chosen on a floured board with gentle strokes. Roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. The more you work the dough, the tougher your sopapilla will turn out. However, to keep a sopapilla well puffed after cooking, you may want to work the dough a minute or so longer.

Cut the dough into rectangles that are about 10-inch by 5-inch. Divide the triangle into a 5-inch squares, and then cut this into a triangle. NOTE: If you find the dough beginning to dry as you work with the remainder, cover this loosely with a some plastic wrap.

Do not attempt to reform and roll the leftover dough scraps. They do not roll out well on the second try. You can cook these dough scraps along with the others, and they taste just as good.

From here, grandma would take little pieces of the dough, and work it into a small ball. Then we would roll the little ball with a floured rolling pin, until a small circle would form. I'm guessing, 3" ? I don't know. Place 1-2 tbsp of filling in middle. Fold in half and pinch sides with wet fingers. Then fry the empanada in oil for 1-2 minutes until golden.

Now that this is written down, i'm excited to try. I hope I can make it after all these years. Last time I made these I think I was 10.

 So, this blog entry was written down in Dec 2011. I WILL be making these on Friday. And I will include my pictures. Let me know if you have success and Feliz Navidad! :)