Picadillo Empanadas

Method15 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Beat the softened cream cheese (8 oz) and the cup of pastry butter (1 cup) until creamy. Gently mix in the 2⅓ cups flour and the ½ teaspoon pastry salt for about 1 minute. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, knead for about 1 minute and gather into a ball. Wrap the dough. Have the onion, garlic, tomato purée and already toasted almonds ready before starting the hot filling pan.

   Uses 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature · 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature · 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour · ½ teaspoon salt for pastry · Extra all-purpose flour for dusting the kneading and rolling surface, as needed

2. 2

   Step 2: Refrigerate the wrapped dough for at least 15 minutes, until firm enough to roll. It may stay refrigerated for up to 24 hours while you prepare or make the filling ahead.

   Chill the empanada dough · 15 minUses All the wrapped dough

3. 3

   Step 3: Heat the olive oil (3 tablespoons) in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the prepared chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until translucent and soft.

   Soften picadillo onion · 2 minUses 3 tablespoons olive oil · ¼ cup chopped white onion

4. 4

   Step 4: Add the prepared garlic (1) and cook for about 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.

   Fry picadillo garlic · 1 minUses All the onion and oil in the pan · 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

5. 5

   Step 5: Add all the ground pork and the ¾ teaspoon filling salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, breaking the meat apart, until lightly browned and fully cooked to at least 71°C / 160°F.

   Cook the ground pork filling · 8 minUses All the pan aromatics and oil · 1 lb ground pork shoulder or butt · ¾ teaspoon kosher or sea salt for filling

6. 6

   Step 6: Stir in all the tomato purée (2 cups). Cook, stirring often, for 5–6 minutes, checking from 5 minutes, until darker and thicker and the raw tomato flavour has cooked away.

   Cook down picadillo tomato · 5 minUses All the cooked pork mixture · 2 cups plain tomato purée

7. 7

   Step 7: Add all the chicken broth (2 cups), the cumin and clove pinches and the ground cinnamon (½ teaspoon). Stir well and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

   Simmer spiced picadillo · 15 minUses All the tomato-pork mixture · 2 cups chicken broth · Pinch of ground cumin · Pinch of ground cloves · ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

8. 8

   Step 8: Stir in the toasted almonds, raisins (¼ cup) and chopped olives. Cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and add a little extra filling salt only if needed. The filling should stay moist, with no excessive loose liquid; it will absorb more of its juices as it cools.

   Finish picadillo with nuts and olives · 5 minUses All the simmered filling · ¼ cup slivered almonds, already lightly toasted · ¼ cup raisins · ¼ cup chopped Manzanilla olives · Extra salt for adjusting the cooked filling to taste, if needed

9. 9

   Step 9: Turn off the heat and let the filling cool enough for pastry assembly. For an advance batch, cool briefly and refrigerate within 2 hours in a covered shallow container, for up to 2 days. Keep any unused filling separate from the empanadas.

   Uses All the finished filling

10. 10

    Step 10: Lightly flour the counter. Roll out half the chilled dough to about ¼ inch thick and cut 4–5-inch circles. Repeat with the other half and usable scraps, keeping unused pastry refrigerated, to make about 15 medium rounds.

    Uses All the chilled dough · Extra all-purpose flour for dusting the kneading and rolling surface, as needed

11. 11

    Step 11: Grease a baking sheet with extra butter and heat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Lightly beat the one egg in a small bowl for sealing the pastry and brushing the tops.

    Uses Extra butter for greasing the baking sheet, as needed · 1 egg, lightly beaten, for sealing and brushing

12. 12

    Step 12: Put about 1½ tablespoons cooled picadillo in the centre of each round. Brush the edges lightly with some of the beaten egg. Fold the pastry over the filling, press the edges together, then crimp with a fork without puncturing the pastry. Leave the unused picadillo separate; the filling batch makes about 4 cups and is larger than the amount needed for these empanadas.

    Uses The cut medium pastry rounds · About 1½ tablespoons per empanada, from the same cooked filling batch · A little beaten egg from the single egg bowl for the edges

13. 13

    Step 13: Arrange the empanadas on the prepared sheet. Lightly brush their tops with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds from the measured supply. Discard any unused raw egg wash.

    Uses The assembled empanadas · Enough remaining beaten egg from the same bowl to brush the tops · The prepared sheet · Sesame seeds from the half-cup supply, for sprinkling

14. 14

    Step 14: Bake at 375°F / 190°C for 20–25 minutes, checking from 20 minutes, until golden and the pastry is cooked through. The filling must be hot throughout; when using chilled make-ahead filling, confirm 74°C / 165°F in the centre. Bake any additional tray to the same endpoint.

    Bake picadillo empanadas · 20 minUses The assembled tray or trays being baked

15. 15

    Step 15: Serve the empanadas hot. Keep the extra cooked picadillo refrigerated and use within 2 days, or freeze it for another meal. The pastry batch makes about 15 medium empanadas.

    Uses The hot baked empanadas lifted from the tray · Any unused filling from the same cooled batch