Pork Picadillo Empanadas With Chipotle Salsa

Witch Doctor's Note:

Cinnamon, raisins, lime juice and almonds - What a combination! All these flavors are in these empanadas to tempt your taste buds beyond belief!

• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 24 empanadas

For the filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 12 ounces pork tenderloins , trimmed, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
• 1 jalapeno , minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ cup golden raisin
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 6 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds
• 3 tablespoons sour cream

For the Dough

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup masa harina (corn tortilla mix)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter , melted, cooled
• ½ cup water , plus
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 large eggs
• sour cream

For the Chipotle Salsa

• 3 cups chopped tomatoes
• ¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

Directions:

1. For filling:.
2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork, serrano chili, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and allspice to skillet and stir 3 minutes. Add raisins and lime juice; boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Mix in almonds and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Cool.
3. For dough:.
4. Butter 2 large baking sheets. Mix flour, Masa Harina, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Stir in melted butter. Whisk water and 1 egg in small bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture; knead in bowl until smooth pliable dough forms, about 2 minutes. Working with half of dough at a time, roll out on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 3 3/4-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. Reroll scraps and cut out additional rounds for a total of 12 rounds per dough half.
5. Whisk remaining egg in small bowl to blend. Place 1 tablespoon filling in center of each dough round. Lightly brush edges with egg. Fold dough over, pressing edges with fork to seal. Place on prepared baking sheets. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.)
6. Preheat oven to 375°F Brush empanadas with beaten egg. Bake until light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve with Chipotle Salsa and sour cream.
7. For Chipotle Salsa.
8. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
9. MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS.

Reviews

[PrairieHarpy]

I didn't roll the dough thin enough. Still, I'm not seeing how I ever could have come up with 24. In any case, they turned out more like little pies... but that's due to my own ineptness. They were very good! I used a cookie sheet lined with parchment, and that worked like a charm in lieu of buttering the cookie sheet. Thanks!