Turkey empanadas

 

     You can substitute ground pork or beef for the turkey, and a package pastry product for our homemade dough. Try smaller versions for an appetizer.

Makes 6 servings

Dough

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut in pats
• 1 container/8 ounces lowfat plain yogurt

Filling

• 1¼ pounds ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 green onions, sliced
• ½ teaspoon leaf oregano, crumbled
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¼ cup chopped, pitted dry-cured black olives
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Egg glaze

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon water

Prepare dough

1. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, chili powder, salt, cumin and butter in food processor ; whirl until texture resembles coarse meal.
2. Add yogurt ; pulse with on-and-off motion just until mixture masses together.
3. Or, mix dry ingredients together in a bowl ; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly, stir in yogurt.
4. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface ; divide into 6 equal portions.
5. Shape each into a disk ; cover and refrigerate.

Prepare filling

1. Heat medium-size skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add turkey ; cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes.
3. Drain turkey in colander ; wipe out skillet with paper toweling.
4. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.
5. Add garlic, green onion, oregano, cumin and allspice ; cook, stirring 3 minutes, remove from heat.
6. Stir in tomato paste ; stir in drained turkey, olives, lime juice and sugar.

Prepare empanadas

1. Preheat oven to 375F ; lightly spray baking sheet with nonstick vegetable-oil cooking spray.
2. Roll each round of dough out on lightly floured surface into an 8-inch circle.
3. Spoon about ½ cup of filling on one-half of each round, leaving 1-inch border.
4. Stir together egg and water in small bowl to make egg glaze ; brush border with egg glaze.
5. Fold dough over filling, pressing out all air ; crimp edges with fork or fingers to seal.
6. Place on baking sheet ; brush egg glaze lightly over empanadas.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden ; serve hot or warm, with plain yogurt, salsa or sour cream.

Note : The cooked, filled empanadas can be frozen in a single layer on a                baking sheet, and then stored in a freezer bag. Reheat in a                          preheated oven to 375F.

BON APPÉTIT