Empanadas Method II

Ingredients:

150g beef mince
150g turkey or chicken mince
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper, skinned, de-seeded and chopped
2 chillies, (fresh or rehydrated) finely chopped and puréed
1 garlic clove, finely minced
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of ground cumin
1 tbsp tomato purée
1kg Shortcrust pastry made with chicken stock rather than water
salt and pepper to taste
oil to fry

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions and meat and fry for a few minutes before adding the chillies and spices then fry for about 5 minutes. Whilst the meat is simmering roast the red pepper (either on the hob or in the oven), carefully remove its skin and seeds then chop into small pieces. Add these to the pan, along with tomato purée. Simmer so that enough liquid has evaporated so that the mixture will not run when placed in the pastry parcels.

Roll the pastry on a floured surface until it is about 3mm thin. Using a pastry cutter make as many ~10cm circles as you can. Place just enough filling in the pastry so that you can still close the pastry parcels by folding in half. Dampen the edges of the pastry before sealing and pinching the edges together with your fingers.

Heat oil in a deep fat fryer or wok and add a few empanadas at a time. Fry until golden brown then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and dry on kitchen paper. Serve immediately with salsa or hot chilli sauce.