Keyword: appetizers, dinner, entrees, hot, international
Yield: 4people
Equipment
Food processor or blender
medium pot
heavy bottomed skillet
Ingredients
Empanadas
29 inch pie crust dough
1lblean ground beef
1csweet potatopeeled and diced
2clovesgarlicminced
1small oniondiced
1/2tspground cumin
2tbspparsleychopped
1/2juice lemon
1tbspolive oil
TTsalt/pepper
1eggbeaten
Chimichurri Sauce
1/4cparsley
1/4ccilantro
1tbsporegano
1clovegarlic
1/2juice and zestlemon
1/2cvirgin olive oil
TTsalt and pepper
Instructions
For Chimichurri
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and lightly pulse until all ingredients are the consistency of a loose paste. Adjust seasoning and transfer to a serving container.
For Empanadas
Preheat oven to 375º. Boil sweet potato in a medium pot of salted water and cook until just tender. Drain potatoes and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, bring a heavy bottomed skillet to medium-high heat. add olive oil, beef and cook until meat begins to lose color and start to brown. Break up beef into smaller, bite-sized pieces as it cooks. Add onion, garlic, cumin and continue to sauteé until the mixture becomes aromatic, about 3 minutes.
Finally, add lemon juice sweet potato, and fold gently to incorporate. Add parsley and season mixture with salt/pepper to taste. Let mixture cool before assembly.
To Assemble
Make sure pie dough is less than 1/4 inch thick. If too thick, roll out to achieve proper thinness. Using a large round biscuit cutter (about 4.5 inches), cut out dough rounds.
Whisk egg with 2 tablespoons of water to make egg wash. Set aside. Add 2oz (about 1/4 cup) of beef filling to half of each round. Brush edges with egg wash and fold each round in half to create a semicircle. Crimp (pinch) edges of semicircle to seal empanada. use a paring knife to add a small slit to allow steam to escape. Transfer prepared empanadas to parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes (up to overnight). To bake, brush empanadas with egg wash and transfer to oven. Bake until crusts are golden and crisp, about 20-30 minutes. allow empanadas to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with chimichurri sauce.