Baked Beef Empanadas

TamTastic

Baked Beef Empanadas

These meat pies are popular throughout Latin America, and Argentineans devour them with gusto at the start of any serious meal. This recipe uses won ton wrappers instead of pastry for the crust, and the empanadas are baked instead of fried. Aside from the obvious health benefits, using won ton wrappers makes assembling the empanadas quick and easy. Placing the uncooked empanadas on preheated baking sheets helps make them crisp.

Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped red potato
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup beef broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound boneless beef top sirloin, trimmed and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
36 won ton wrappers
Cooking spray
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)


Preparation
Combine first 10 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes or until potato is done, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Cool.
Preheat oven to 400°. Place 2 baking sheets in oven for about 10 minutes.

Drain meat mixture in a colander over a bowl. Discard liquid. Finely chop meat mixture with a knife, or place in a food processor, and pulse 2 times or until finely chopped. Combine cornstarch and water, stirring with a whisk.

Working with one won ton wrapper at a time (cover the remaining won ton wrappers with a damp towel to keep them from drying), spoon 1 tablespoon beef mixture into center of each wrapper. Moisten the edges of each wrapper with the cornstarch mixture. Bring 2 opposite corners together. Pinch the points to seal, forming a triangle. Place filled wrapper on a wire rack. Repeat the procedure with the remaining beef mixture, won ton wrappers, and cornstarch mixture.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven; coat baking sheets with cooking spray. Arrange the empanadas in a single layer on baking sheets. Coat the empanadas with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until golden, turning once. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Yield
12 servings (serving size: 3 empanadas)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 113(9% from fat); FAT 1.1g (sat 0.3g,mono 0.3g,poly 0.2g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 14mg; CALCIUM 17mg; CARBOHYDRATE 17.8g; SODIUM 202mg; PROTEIN 7.4g; FIBER 0.9g

TamTastic

Baked Beef Empanadas

These meat pies are popular throughout Latin America, and Argentineans devour them with gusto at the start of any serious meal. This recipe uses won ton wrappers instead of pastry for the crust, and the empanadas are baked instead of fried. Aside from the obvious health benefits, using won ton wrappers makes assembling the empanadas quick and easy. Placing the uncooked empanadas on preheated baking sheets helps make them crisp.

Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped red potato
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup beef broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound boneless beef top sirloin, trimmed and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
36 won ton wrappers
Cooking spray
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)


Preparation
Combine first 10 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes or until potato is done, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Cool.
Preheat oven to 400°. Place 2 baking sheets in oven for about 10 minutes.

Drain meat mixture in a colander over a bowl. Discard liquid. Finely chop meat mixture with a knife, or place in a food processor, and pulse 2 times or until finely chopped. Combine cornstarch and water, stirring with a whisk.

Working with one won ton wrapper at a time (cover the remaining won ton wrappers with a damp towel to keep them from drying), spoon 1 tablespoon beef mixture into center of each wrapper. Moisten the edges of each wrapper with the cornstarch mixture. Bring 2 opposite corners together. Pinch the points to seal, forming a triangle. Place filled wrapper on a wire rack. Repeat the procedure with the remaining beef mixture, won ton wrappers, and cornstarch mixture.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven; coat baking sheets with cooking spray. Arrange the empanadas in a single layer on baking sheets. Coat the empanadas with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until golden, turning once. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Yield
12 servings (serving size: 3 empanadas)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 113(9% from fat); FAT 1.1g (sat 0.3g,mono 0.3g,poly 0.2g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 14mg; CALCIUM 17mg; CARBOHYDRATE 17.8g; SODIUM 202mg; PROTEIN 7.4g; FIBER 0.9g

Healthier_Me

I empanadas!!
But the bad kind:bigsmile:

TamTastic