Empanaditas

By edielou

Ingredients

• Empanaditas pastry
• 2 Tbls Annatto oil (recipe follows)
• 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
• 1 green pepper finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup annatto paste (recipe follows)
• 1/2 cup chopped pimento-stuffed green olives
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 Tbls red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp essens
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Annatto Oil
• 1 cup vegetable or olive oil
• 1/2 cup annatto seeds
• Annatto Paste
• 1/2 cup annatto seeds
• 1 cup vegetable or olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 Tbls dried oregano
• 3 garliccloves, minced 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Details

Preparation time 90mins
Cooking time 130mins

Preparation

Step 1

Annatto Oil:
In a small heavy sauce pan,heat the oil over medium heat. Add the annatto seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until the oil vecomes a rich orange-red color., about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Strain the oil into a jar, discarding the seeds. Refrigerate unused oil.

Annatto paste:
In a small medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the annatto seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until the oil becomes a rich orange-red color. About 5 minutes. remove from heat and allow to cool.
Strain the annatto oil into the bowl of a food processor or blender, and add the lime juice, oregano, garlic. salt and cumin. Process the mixture on high to form a smooth paste. Pour into glass jar and keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Empanaditas:
In a large skillet heat the annatto oil ovr medium high heat and saute the onions and bell peppers until softened and carmelized around the edges, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the grlic and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the meat and cook until evenly browned. Add tomato sauce, annatto paste, green olives, raisins, vinegar, sugar, salt, and essence. Lower tthe heat and simmer until the mixture thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool on a plate before using. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Place about 1 Tbls of filling in the center of each round, fold in half, press edges togeather to seal. Crimp the edges of the pastry with a fork to seal.
In alarge skillet heat oil to 375 degrees F. Fry the empanaditas in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.