Recipe: Lupe's Empanadillas

LUPE'S EMPANADILLAS
Source: New York Cookbook: From Pelham Bay to Park Avenue, Firehouses to Four-Star Restaurants by Molly O'Neill; Recipe by: Lupe Marti-Salgado
Servings: 5 to 6 (Makes 24)

FOR THE EMPANADA DOUGH:
3 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, beaten
1/3 cup dry white wine
FOR THE PICADILLO:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/4 lb boiled ham; ground
3/4 cup green olives, chopped or 3/4 cup capers, drained
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine
vegetable oil for frying

TO PREPARE THE EMPANADA DOUGH:
Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add the oil and mix. Add the eggs and wine and stir. Knead until the dough is smooth. Cover the pastry with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

TO PREPARE THE PICADILLO:
Place the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and saute, stirring occasionally; until soft, 5 minutes.

Add all of the meats and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the olives or capers, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, and wine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 mins. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.

TO PREPARE THE EMPANADILLAS:
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured board; with your hands, roll it out into a long coil. Cut the dough into 24 even pieces. Roll out each piece into a 6-inch round that is 1/8-inch thick.

Spoon about 2 tbsp of the filling onto the top half of each pastry, then fold the bottom dough up into a half moon. Crimp the edges closed with a fork.

Place a heavy, deep skillet over med. heat and add enough of the vegetable oil to reach a depth of 1-inch. Heat until hot enough to sizzle a scrap of dough. Add the empanadillas, a few at a time, without crowding the pan, and cook until golden brown on both sides, 5 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels.