Spanish tapas is a favorite of mine. I love the strong flavors in small bites. I am constantly struggling with my weight and have decided that small servings of highly flavored foods is the way to go. That doesn’t always happen, obviously, but….it’s a plan! These will certainly fit the bill, and pastry is always good. Pie, pie, pie…all the time!!! (I often think a soup and pie restaurant would be what I ‘d do…if that ever happens.)November starts today and pie is on the mind. I love it anytime, but it is often something people make only once a year…at Thanksgiving. In a couple weeks, I am doing a pie class with several different versions of pastry. This is the appetizer portion of our pie menu, Picadillo Empanadas.

Picadillo is of Spanish origin. It appears in Cuban, South American and Mexican cuisines. Usually of beef or pork, I have adapted it to ground turkey. You could certainly substitute any ground meat. It is often a sweet sour mixture of capers or olives and fruit of some sort, either dried or not. This one has raisins and green olives. I leave the olives out for my husband, he’s not a fan, and can spot them a mile off. Serve these at your holiday parties and everyone will be asking for the recipe. The filling and pastry can be made the day before. Even assembled and frozen will work, popping them in a hot oven to bake when friends drop over for a little holiday cheer.

Babies 9m+, take out a portion of the turkey and bell pepper mix before adding spices. Puree to desired consistency.

For toddlers and kids, this is great for finger food or packed in a lunch the next day. Of course, the Mango Mojo makes a great dipping sauce!

PECCADILLO EMPANADAS

Makes 8-12 empanadas
Prep time: 30 minutes active prep, 30 minutes chilling, and 30 minutes baking

Pastry

1/2 cup butter
6 ounces cream cheese
2 cups all-purpose flour
4-6 tablespoons ice water

Piccadillo

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced bell pepper, red or green
8 ounces ground turkey, beef, or pork
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 medium tomato, diced
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons chopped green olives

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet and sauté 1 small diced onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 1/2 cup diced bell pepper until softened. Add 8 ounces ground turkey and fry until browned, breaking up into small pieces. Add 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir a few seconds to toast the spices. Add 2 tablespoons dry sherry to deglaze the pan (scraping up all the browned bits on the bottom). Add 1 medium diced tomato and 2 tablespoons golden raisins. Cover and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally on low heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped green olives. Transfer to a platter or sheet pan to cool. Refrigerate if making ahead.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 400º

1 egg + 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt, whisked together

Roll out pastry to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 4-5-inch rounds. Re-roll scraps to cut out more rounds. (Only re-roll once. The dough tends to get tough if rolled out too many times.) Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center and fold over. Pinch and crimp the edges together. Brush the tops with egg wash and bake on a parchment lined sheet pan for about 30 minutes.

Makes 8-12

Mango Mojo

1 mango, coarsely chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime
Juice of 1 orange
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 –inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve with the empanadas. Also good with grilled fish or chicken.