Mini Pork Empanadas Recipes

EASY MINI PORK EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
• When the pan is hot, pour in the oil then add the pork, breaking the meat into small crumbles.
• Then add the jerk seasoning, thyme and garlic. If using sausage, add 1 tablespoon of jerk seasoning. If using fresh ground pork, add two tablespoons of jerk seasoning.
• Stir and cook until pork is fully cooked. Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Lightly beat an egg in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, use a rolling pin to slightly stretch a single puff pastry sheet, leaving it about 1/4-inch larger all around.
• Using a 3-inch cutter, cut rounds out of the dough. Place the cutter as close as possible to the previous cut edges to maximize use of the dough. You should be able to cut 9 to 11 rounds from each sheet.
• Then brush a bit of egg wash around the edges of the cut dough, place one level teaspoon of cooked pork in the center, fold the dough over and seal it with a fork. Transfer to a parchment-covered baking sheet and cover with a dish towel to keep moist. Repeat until all the cut round have been used.
• Repeat the process with the remaining puff pastry sheets.
• Bake for 18 minutes or until empanadas are puffed and golden brown.
• Serve warm, either plain or with your choice of salsa or sour cream.

MINI PORK EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese spread and butter in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gradually add flour, mixing well after each addition. Shape into ball. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, brown meat with onions in large saucepan. Stir in bouillon and spices. Remove from heat. Add potatoes; mix well. Cool completely.
• Heat oven to 400ºF. Roll out dough on floured work surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Use 3-inch cutter to cut dough into 40 rounds, rerolling dough scraps as necessary.
• Spoon 1-1/2 tsp. meat mixture onto center of each dough round; brush edge with egg. Fold in half; press edges together with fork to seal. Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Cut small slits in tops to vent; brush with remaining egg.
• Bake 18 to 20 min. or until golden brown.

PORK EMPANADAS

Steps:

• To make the filling: Place pork in a large pot and cover with water. Add onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. While pork is cooking, prepare dough.
• To make the dough: Sift together the flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt. Add the shortening to the dry ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and 1/2 cup milk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and stir with a fork until the dough comes together in a ball. Divide the dough into 16 even pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place in a container, cover, and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• After the pork has simmered for 1 1/2 hours, remove from liquid. Place pork in a baking dish and bake for 1 hour or until meat shreds easily with fork. Remove from oven (keep oven turned on) and shred into small pieces. Add salsa to shredded pork.
• Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• On lightly floured surface, flatten a piece of dough with the palm of your hand. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to make a 5-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of the dough circle. Brush edges of dough with milk. Fold dough over filling. Pinch edges together. Crimp with fork to seal.
• Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining empanada dough. Leftover filling can be frozen or used in tacos, tamales, or burritos.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove to rack and cool for about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

BARBECUE: MINI PULLED PORK EMPANADAS RECIPE

Steps:

• Process the flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 6 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with butter bits no larger than small peas, about 16 pulses.
• Transfer the flour mixture to a large mixing bowl. Working with 1/4 cup of water at a time, sprinkle the water over the flour mixture and stir it in using a rubber spatula, pressing the mixture against the side of the bowl to form a dough, until no small bits of flour remain (you may not need to use all of the water).
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Press each dough half into a cohesive ball, then flatten the ball into a 6-inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm but not hard, about 2 hours.
• While the dough rests, place pulled pork in a small bowl and add enough vinegar sauce until meat is very moist (you may not need the entire 1⁄2 cup of sauce).
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Remove 1 disk of dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface into an 18-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 18 rounds and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, discarding the dough scraps. Place a heaping tablespoon of pulled pork to the middle of each round. Seal dough around filling, using tines of a fork to crimp edges shut. Repeat with second disk of dough and second prepared baking sheet.
• Brush empanadas with the egg. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, switching and rotating the trays halfway through the baking time. Let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve with a bowl of barbecue sauce, if desired.

MINI CHICKEN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. On a lightly floured surface, roll each pie crust into a 15-inch circle. Cut with a floured 3-in. round biscuit cutter., Place about 1 teaspoon filling on 1 half of each circle. Moisten edges with water. Fold pie crust over filling. Press edges with a fork to seal., Transfer to greased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Serve warm.

ARGENTINEAN-INSPIRED BEEF MINI EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Prepare filling: Cook ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a large, nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat until vegetables are tender and beef is browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Add olives, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir in chopped eggs.
• Scrape mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until fully chilled, 1 to 2 hours; this ensures the dough will not be soggy when the empanadas are baked.
• Prepare dough: Whisk flour and salt together in a medium bowl until combined. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Whisk cold water, egg, and vinegar together in a small bowl. Pour into the dry ingredients and blend with a fork. Use your hands to finish blending the ingredients until they come together in a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut circles, rerolling the scraps as necessary. I got about 18 circles.
• Hold each circle in your hand and place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center. Gently fold the ends over the top and press to seal all the way around. Reserve extra filling for another use.
• Set empanadas on a baking sheet. Press around the sealed edges with a fork if desired.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on the bottoms, about 18 minutes. Flip and bake until the other side is browned, about 5 more minutes.