New Mexico Empanaditas

Shared by Theresa Martinez and family

 

For the filling:

1 lb cow tongue and pork roast, cooked 

1 1/2 cup raisins 

2 cups applesauce or jam 

1 cup of sugar 

1 tsp ground coriander 

1/2 tsp cloves 

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 cup shelled piñon 

1 tsp salt

 

Grind meat and add raisins, applesauce, sugar, spices, and nuts. It should be moist in consistency. If mixture seems too dry, add a little meat stock.

 

For the dough:

2 packages yeast 

1 qt evaporated milk 

3 tbsp melted Crisco 

3 handfuls of Crisco

3 tsp salt

Sugar

2 cups flour

 

Soak yeast in warm water. Heat milk, add Crisco, salt, and sugar to it. Cool to lukewarm and add dissolved yeast add enough flour to make a medium dough.

 

Do not let rise. Roll out dough approximately 1/8-inch thick. 

 

Cut with biscuit cutter, if the dough rises after the biscuits are cut roll them thin.

 

Place 1 1/2 teaspoon of minced meat in center of rolled dough, fold and pinch together. Deep-fry until brown.

 

Try more traditional recipes from the Martinez family, and read about five generations of their family working together to celebrate Christmas:

Traditional Tamales

Happy Biscochitos

Tamales and Tradition

Story and Photography by Gabriella Marks / Styling by Robert Nachman / Food by Theresa Martinez and family