Empanadas

Pastry
2 c All-purpose Flour
1/2 ts Salt
1 ts Baking Powder
8 tb Margarine
6 tb Cold Water
1 Egg for glaze

Sweet Filling
Jam, preserves, or chopped fresh fruit mixed with sugar, raisins, cinnamon, and chopped nuts.

Meat Filling
3 tb Oil (for frying)
1 lb Lean Hamburger
2 Garlic Cloves
2 tb Onion, chopped
1/4 c Fresh Parsley, chopped (or 1 tb dried)
3 tb Seedless Raisins
1 Hard-boiled Egg, minced
10 Green or Black Olives, diced
1/4 ts Cumin
Salt
Pepper
2 tb Tomato Sauce

PREPARE PASTRY: In large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add cut-up margarine and mix together with fork or pastry blender until dough forms rice-sized bits. Add a little cold water, stir, then add more water as needed just until dough forms a ball. Turn dough onto a piece of wax paper and press it into a ball. Refrigerate until filling is prepared.

PREPARE FILLING: If using fresh fruit mixture, chop fruit, prepare, and set aside in bowl. For Meat filling, add oil to frying pan along with chopped onion and pressed garlic. Saut‚ on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add crumbled ground beef and cook. Add all other ingredients and stir. If needed, add 1 or 2 tablespoons water. Cook together 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

TO FORM EMPANADAS: Lightly grease cookie sheet. Work with a small portion of dough at a time. Using a floured work surface, roll out dough to about 1/8" thickness. Cut dough into rounds, about 4" in diameter.

Put a teaspoon of filling in the center of each dough round. Fold half the dough over, covering the filling and making a half-moon shape. Press a fork, dipped in flour, around dough edges to seal. Brush top with a beaten egg for glaze. Bake Empa¤adas in a 400øF oven fro 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm. To prepare ahead, cool on wire racks, then wrap airtight and freeze.

Makes 24 small Empanadas.

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