I realized after making these empanadas that I need more practice. I don’t have the same skill and experience that my grandmother had when she used to make them. So, the end results aren’t as aesthetically pleasing as I would have liked… but they taste very good. Originally, I was going to make bean filled empanadas, but I forgot to soak and cook some beans. I have some tempeh in the fridge, but I also have been meaning to use some ground beef in there. I roasted the rest of the pumpkin that was leftover (yes from the kari ayam) and some chopped prunes. Yes, prunes! Some of the empanadas that I ate growing up had a simliar beef filling, but with raisins. I’m not a big fan of raisins in many things, but prunes I adore.

I cooked some ground beef and drained the excess oil when it was nice and brown. I then added a touch of olive oil with some minced shallots, a few minced garlic cloves, cumin, chile powder, salt, pepper, dried Mexican oregano, a bit of Worchestershire sauce, onion powder and mixed it all up. I then added about three seeded roasted Pueblo chiles, diced, and let it all cook for a bit. After I tasted it again and adjusted the seasonings, I put in a few finely chopped prunes and about a cup of diced pumpkin and let it cook some more until there wasn’t much juice in the mix. I transferred the filling into a bowl and set it aside while I prepared the dough.

I got the ground beef, roasted Pueblo chiles, and pumpkin from Larga Vista Ranch.

There is nothing like using fresh masa for empanadas, but since I wasn’t going to find that here I made my own dough. I’ve had this stand-by empanada dough recipe for a while and I’m sorry I can’t remember where I got it from originally, but I made some changes of my own.

1 cup masa harina
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I only have white whole wheat flour so I used that)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons lard (or if you prefer, vegetable shortening)
1 cup room temperature water

Combine masa harina, flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Blend in lard with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cup of water, a little at a time, working it into the dough until all the water is completely incorporated and the dough just comes together. It should be slightly sticky after you roll it into a ball. Place a damp kitchen towel over the dough ball while you work on preparing the emapanadas.

I inherited a tortilla press from my mom, so it certainly makes life easier when I want to make tortillas. It works great for empanadas as well, just make sure you use two pieces of plastic wrap (or wax paper works as well) so that the dough doesn’t stick on the press. Oh and before I forget, I baked these empanadas in a 375ºF oven instead of frying them. Make sure to beat an egg with a little water to brush the tops of each empanada before baking them.

I take small portions (about the size of a walnut) and roll them into balls and press until you have about a five inch circle.

Add about half a tablespoon of filling in the middle of the dough circle, fold over, and press gently to seal. This is where I have issues. I’m not yet capable of making the pretty folds that most empanadas have, but using a fork to crimp the edges work just as well. Make sure to be gentle when you do that. Put the empanadas on a plate and make sure to also cover that with a damp towel so that the dough doesn’t dry.

Transfer the empanadas onto a parchment lined and bake them for about 30-35 minutes until they’re golden brown. Enjoy! Also, I plan to share these but I just made a test batch to see if I liked how it all tasted. I’m pretty sure they freeze well, unbaked, though.

*Some thoughts on lard. The lard that I used is also from Larga Vista Ranch. I would not use lard from any other source unless I knew where it came from. We get our raw milk and most of our meats from them as well. Yes, I used lard. I’ve only just started using lard, occasionally, but my grandmother used to render her own and used it all the time when I was growing up. Lard has a bad reputation, unfortunately. It’s a monounsaturated fat high in oleic acid (which are good). But of course fat IS fat and too much of it won’t be that great for you. If you’re going to use lard, make sure you know where it comes from and that it’s high quality. You shouldn’t buy lard that is sold at grocery stores (I never have looked for it there) because it’s highly processed and definitely contains hydrogenated oils. I don’t believe in using things like margarine or shortening or things of that nature, but you can very well use what you are comfortable with. Also, we include a lot of whole grains and vegetables in our diet as well as some sort of daily exercise. My husband and I are healthy and have no medical problems, so some things in our diet may not work for everyone. Anyway, lard also gives the empanadas (or pie crusts, etc) a really delicious flakiness and crunch. Something that I’m completely in love with.