Pork Empanadas With Thyme Recipes

PORK EMPANADAS WITH THYME

Steps:

• Set a steamer basket in a pot with 2 inches boiling water. Add potato, cover, and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 5 to 7 minutes. Raise heat to high and add pork, thyme, and sage; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until pork is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, until blended, about 30 seconds. Add raisins (if using) and 2 tablespoons water; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in potato, pine nuts (if using), and vinegar. Season filling with salt and pepper and let cool.
• Preheat oven to 400, with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a floured surface, divide dough in half and roll each piece to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 6-inch cookie cutter or plate as a guide, cut out 8 circles. Place 1/4 cup filling on half of each circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush edge of dough with water; fold top half over filling. Press edges to seal, then crimp firmly with a fork.
• Transfer empanadas to two baking sheets lined with parchment. In a bowl, beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush empanadas with egg wash and top with thyme sprigs. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

DOUGH FOR PORK EMPANADAS WITH THYME

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), baking powder, and coarse salt. Add minced fresh sage and thyme; pulse until combined. Add cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces; pulse until mixture is the texture of coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces butter remaining. Add 1 cup ice water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (add up to 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead just until dough comes together, 4 to 5 times.

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.