NEW MEXICO EMPANADAS

New Mexico Empanadas image

Provided by Teresa Morgan

Categories Pork

Number Of Ingredients 19

pastry ingredients
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons very cold water or milk
1 tablespoon oil
1 egg, beaten with 2 tbs. water
4-oz. cream cheese at room temperature
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
FILLING INGREDIENTS:
2-lb pork
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 cups chopped raisins
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups applesauce
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1 cup pinon nuts or other nuts

Steps:

1. Pastry Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork, combine the butter and cream cheese. Sift flour over this mixture. Add baking powder, vinegar and water or milk and combine with fork. With generously floured hands, work the dough until you have a smooth resilient ball. 3 to 4 minutes, but keep working the flour into the other ingredients until the dough suddenly holds together. Flour both the table and your rolling pin. Roll out dough and cut out circles. Oil cookie sheets and place circles or sheets, add 1 heaping teaspoon of filling and carefully fold over and crimp with fork and moistening the edge with egg glaze. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Filling Directions: Boil pork. When thoroughly cooked, put in food processor until meat is shredded. Add Raisins, applesauce, sugar, nuts and spices. Mix well and proceed with direction in Empanada Pastry recipe.