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Delicious Orange-Cranberry Beef Empanadas; I wanted to make my own Holiday Empanadas, so utilized the extra orange cranberries, I had and baked these scrumptious and savory pastries that are made with orange-cranberries, ground beef, garlic, onions, bell peppers, seasonings with a little kick. Boy, can you tell I love food? And, this is one of my favorite snacks or quick meals besides beef lumpia. It’s even better when you can make it an Empanada party and get family together to help to make them. However, I like the fact this recipe uses simple ingredients and is fast to make using the fathead dough recipe. Moreover,

The great thing about Orange-Cranberry Beef Empanadas is they are the best go-to meal when you are hungry and don’t want to spend time prepping all the ingredients and cook the meal… only to eat 30 minutes later. You know what I mean, a really good meal that is filling.

This recipe is a bit of a twist on the regular fathead dough you’re probably used to. The secret ingredient? It uses yeast! And, that makes a big difference! Not to mention, I love that you can stuff these little puppies with any of your favorite toppings, then chow down on them with your favorite sauce.

What is Empanada?

An empanada is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling, common in Latin American and Filipino cultures. Furthermore, the name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, and literally translates as “enbreaded”, that is, wrapped or coated in bread. Moreover, they are made by folding the dough over a filling, which may consist of meat, cheese, corn, or other ingredients, and then cooking the resulting turnover; either by baking or frying.

They resemble turnovers from many other cuisines and cultures, including the pasty from the British Isles the samosa from Central and South Asia, or the pirozhki from Russia.

Origins

The Empanadas trace back their origins to the northwest region of Spain, Galicia. A cookbook published in Catalan in 1520, Llibre del Coch by Robert de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood in the recipes for Catalan, Italian, French, and Arabian food.

Filipino empanadas usually contain ground beef, pork or chicken, potatoes, chopped onions, and raisins (somewhat similar to the Cuban picadillo) in a somewhat sweet, wheat flour bread. And, there are two kinds available: the baked sort and the flaky fried type. Although, to lower costs, potatoes are often added as an extender, while another filling is kutsay, or garlic chives (kutsay in Cebuano and Tagalog; 韭菜 kú-chhài in Lan-nang).

Ilocos Empanada

Empanadas in the northern part of the Ilocos are different. And, these usually have savory fillings of green papaya, mung beans, and sometimes chopped Ilocano sausage (chorizo) or longaniza and egg yolk. As a matter fact, there have also been people who make empanada filled with mashed eggplant and cabbage, which they call poqui poqui.

Tools you will need:

Baking Sheet

Large skillet

sharp Knife

Parchment paper

Mixing Bowl

Basting Brush

Orange-Cranberry Beef Empanadas

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 tablespoons of Beef flavored Better Than Bouillon or 1 packet beef bone broth
• 1/4 cup orange cranberries
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 pkg frozen peas
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. First, you will heat up a frying pan on medium-high, add olive oil and minced garlic and onions, saute until golden brown.
2. Add the ground beef, cook until brown.
3. When ground beef is done
4. Add potatoes and cook until tender.
5. Add green peas and raisins, continue to cook until vegetables are heated through and liquid is reduced. Sauce, seasonings and sea salt and pepper
6. Turn down the heat to medium-low to simmer for 8 – 10 minutes.

Here’s a good dough recipe for the Empanadas:

• 1 cup Almond Flour
• 1/4 cup Perfect Blend Flour
• 1 – 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 3 tbsp. warm water
• 1 tablespoon Allulose
• 2 tsp. dry yeast
• 2 tsp. xanthan gum

Egg Wash

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon half and half
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven 375° F. Prepare a baking sheet by lightly spraying with cooking spray or use parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat.

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Set aside to bloom, for about 5 minutes.
2. Place mozzarella cheese into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 90 seconds, stirring 30 seconds until cheese is completely melted. Next, stir in yeast mixture and egg and stir to combine; mixture will not incorporate well at this point.
3. Stir in almond flour, xanthan gum, and salt. And, if the mixture is difficult to mix, reheat in the microwave for 20 – 30 seconds to soften the cheese, until pliable. Mix together until it forms a ball. Using your hands, knead the dough for 2 minutes.
4. Using wet hands, separate dough into 12 balls.
5. Flatten the dough balls into the desired shape about 1/4 inch in thickness, make an indent in the middle.
6. Fill the dough with about 1/3 cup beef mixture in the center of each dough circle.
7. To make an egg wash: In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and sea salt.
8. Fold the dough in half over the filling. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
9. Brush each empanada with egg wash.
10. Place empanadas onto a prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
11. Bake 18 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

How to Fold Empanadas (Beef Turnovers):

So, to make the empanada, cut out by hand or use a round cutter. Next, place 2 full tablespoons of filling in the center, fold in half and seal with a little bit of egg. However, create a double seal by using a fork and crimp the edges. Brush each empanada with the egg wash.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving: 290 calories; 15.7 g fat; 6.7 g carbohydrates; 13.9 g protein; 56 mg cholesterol; 569 mg sodium.

Notes

To handle the dough easier: Use a sheet of parchment paper or Wet hands.

Xanthan gum made the crust more sturdy than if you were to omit.

To replace the egg: Use Just Egg, Plant-Based.

The yeast makes the dough rise more than usual.

There’s no need to add oil because you will have enough oil from the mozzarella cheese.

To Freeze: Make plenty to freeze for the next snack attack or delicious. Place finished turnover into a Ziploc freezer bag.

May we Suggest this wine pairing

I would pair this particular dish with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, Bourdeaux and Bordeaux style blends — fabulous with this particular dish — from our Wine of the Month Club. Furthermore, the firm tannins in these wines refesh the palate after each bite of meat. However, it’s easy to have these fine wines available at your convenience by having it delivered straight to your door each month…

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