Venezuelan Turnovers - Empanadas

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 1lb.1 lb. ground beef
• GOYA® Adobo-All Purpose Seasoning with Cumin, to taste
• 22 tbsp. Corn Oil
• 1cup1 cup onions, finely chopped
• 1/2cup1/2 cup green pepper, finely diced
• 1/2cup1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1tbsp.1 tbsp. Minced Garlic or 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/8cup1/8 cup Alcaparrado - Pitted Manzanilla Olives with Pimientos and Capers, finely chopped
• 1can1 can (8 oz.) Tomato Sauce
• 11 packet Sazón without Annatto
• 2cups2 cups GOYA® Masarepa – Pre-Cooked Yellow Corn Meal, prepared according to package directions
• GOYA® Corn Oil for frying

Details

Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 60mins

Preparation

Step 1

Season meat with Adobo. In skillet, heat oil on medium high. Cook meat until pink is gone. Stir in onion, pepper, garlic, Alcaparrado, tomato sauce and Sazón. Cook, stirring often until most of the liquid has evaporated (about 20 minutes). Cool.

Prepared dough should be moist and should hold together, but it should not stick to your fingers. Start with about ½ cup of dough and roll into a ball between palms of your hands. Working on a sheet of non-stick parchment paper, form the ball into a 5-inch circle about ⅛ inch thick. Place a generous tbsp. of filling on one half of circle and using parchment paper close dough over to form a semi-circle. To seal and trim edges of the empanada, press lip of inverted bowl over semi-circle shaped patty. Repeat for all the Empanadas.

In large skillet on medium high, heat ½ inch of oil until hot but not smoking. Cook empanadas in batches, turning once or twice until lightly browned. Drain on paper towel. Do not over crowd skillet or let oil get too hot.