Recipe(tried): Dear Carolina: I perfectly understand - Carimanolas

what you are referring to. In PR they are also called empanadas or empanadillas but the ingredients in the dough are different. I had been researching the internet at Spanish speaking sites for the "empanadillas" that you correctly described. The only problem is that in Puerto Rico we do the empanadas or empanadillas fried in oil or shortening but using a dough made of all purpose flour, similar to the one that we use for apple pie, or for the "Empanadas Gallegas". The pasteles de yuca are boiled, the Pastel n de yuca is baked and the alcapurrias are similar to your empanadillas (fried) but with a different form. Here is a recipe copied from the Internet that might be similar to what you are looking for.

CARIMANOLAS

3 lbs yuca
salt to taste
Filling:
1 lb ground meat
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 large onion chopped
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 clove garlic pressed
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 or 4 capers

Boil yuca with salt but do not allow to get too soft. Grind with fine blade in grinder and knead with salt. Form balls, flatten in the palm of the hand and fill with stuffing forming into an oval shape. Pinch to close ends. Fry in very hot oil until golden.

To Make Filling:
Season ground meat with salt, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, capers, onion, sugar, garlic and parsley. Brown in very small amount of hot oil and add tomato paste. Simmer until quite dry. If you want to freeze the carimonolas, dust with a little flour after they are formed and place on a cookie sheet in the freezer until firm and then place in sealed ziplock bags. To fry, take from freezer to hot oil at one time as they may fall apart. Do one or two at a time only.

I think that probably by being a little adventurous in your cooking by using the different recipes, maybe you will arrive at the correct formula. I promise, dear friend, that I will try to do them too.

your friend,

Gladys