Cajeta Pineapple Empanadas Recipes

SWEET AND EASY PINEAPPLE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Unfold 1sheet of puff pastry on lightly floured surface. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter or a 3-inch diameter can with the top removed, cut out 9 circles of dough. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheet. Put a scant teaspoon of cajeta in center of each round. Top each with a sprinkling of grated cheese and 3 or 4 pieces of pineapple. Brush the edge of each circle with the egg mixture and enclose each empanada into a half moon. Crimp the edges with fork. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and brush each empanada with the egg mixture. Crimp edges with fork.Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheet and brush them with the egg mixture. Sprinkle with demarara sugar and bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the empanadas to a serving platter and serve warm.

GROUND BEEF EMPANADAS (PICADILLO)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef chuck and cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the olives, raisins, carrots and onions and saute for just a couple minutes until softened. Add the tomato puree and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and cool to room temperature before filling the empanadas.
• Grease a large baking sheet with some nonstick cooking spray. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the pastry out to a 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness. With a knife, cut out 4 equal squares measuring 4 1/2-by-5 1/2-inches. Add 2 tablespoons of the cooled beef mixture to the center of the square. Brush the edge of each square with some egg wash and fold to shape into triangles. Crimp the edges with a fork. Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheet and brush them with the remaining egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

PICADILLO EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, drop in the tomato and boil 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and let cool 5 minutes, then peel and puree in a blender until smooth; set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 7 minutes; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the onion, carrot, olives, raisins and the pureed tomato. Simmer until thick, about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.
• Beat the egg with 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl; set aside. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Working with 1 sheet of puff pastry at a time, unfold on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough into a 10-inch square, about 1/4 inch thick, using a floured rolling pin. Cut into four 5-inch squares. Place 1/4 cup of the picadillo mixture in the center of each square. Brush the edges with the egg wash and fold diagonally to form a triangle. Crimp the edges with a fork.
• Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheet and brush with the remaining egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

PINEAPPLE EMPANADAS RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Then add the vegetable lard.
• Using your fingers, mix in the lard with the dry ingredients.
• Add a third of the water to the mixture and mix to incorporate.
• Repeat this process of adding water and mixing two more times, adding a third of the water each time until all of the water has been used.
• If the dough is too sticky, add flour little by little until it reaches the desired consistency.
• Once the dough is no longer sticky, turn it out onto a floured surface and let rest while you prepare the filling.
• Preheat your oven to 356 degrees.
• Peel and core the pineapple.
• Cut into thin strips and dice.
• Sprinkle in the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and mix until incorporated.
• Set aside as you cut the dough.
• Roll out your ball of dough onto a floured surface.
• Roll into a rectangular shape, taking care not to roll too thinly or the dough will break.
• Using a 2 ½" to 3" round cookie cutter, cut about 10 rounds from the dough.
• Remove the excess dough around the circles.
• Add a tablespoon of filling to the center of each round.
• Gently pick up a filled round and fold in half.
• Next, pinch the edges until the empanada is completely sealed.
• Repeat until you've sealed all your empanadas.
• Dust with sugar, place on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat or sprayed with non-stick spray, and bake for 30-35 minutes in your preheated oven until the crust turns golden brown.
• Once your empanadas are ready, let them cool.
• Transfer to a serving plate and serve with your favorite coffee or hot beverage
• Enjoy!

EMPANADAS DE PINA (PINEAPPLE PASTRY COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place sugar in a bowl.
• Place flour in a large mixing bowl. Begin working butter into flour slowly until fully incorporated. Repeat process gradually with cream cheese, kneading dough until uniform and no longer crumbly. Form into 1 inch balls, then flatten with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1/8 inch. (This may also be done by rolling out the entire amount of dough and cutting rounds with a biscuit cutter.)
• Place 1 tablespoon preserves on each dough center. Fold over, and seal with fingers or press to seal with a fork. Place cookies on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Cookie will remain white and should not be browned, and it is normal for some filling to leak from the cookie. When cookies are cool enough to handle, roll in sugar until evenly coated. Transfer to a platter to cool completely.