Empanadas

Ingredients

• Basic Dough, recipe follows
• Apricot Filling, recipe follows
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into circles, 3 inches in diameter; a plastic lid from a 1 pound coffee can makes perfect circle cutter. Dampen the outside edge of the circle with water. Place 1 1/4 tablespoons of apricot filling in the center of each pastry circle. Fold pastry in half over filling and pinch together to seal; can press with fork to seal. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over each Empanada. Place Empanadas on a baking tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Basic Dough:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup cold water

Mix flour and salt in large mixing bowl. Add shortening. Blend flour and shortening into little pieces to look like tiny peas. Add water all at once by sprinkling. Stir with fork to incorporate water into mixture. Add more water if needed. Flour your work surface and hands, scoop dough out of the bowl, place it onto your work surface and pat into a ball. Divide into 3 or 4 smaller balls.

Apricot Filling:

• 1 pound dried apricots
• Approximately 3 cups water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup roasted and shelled Pinon (pine-nuts) (optional)

Place dried fruit in a large pan and cover with water. Cook at medium heat until fruit is soft and almost mushy. Drain excess water. Mix sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg (Pinon nuts are optional) into the fruit mixture, stirring until it is thick. Set aside to cool.

NOTE: Any kind of dried mixed fruit or combination may be used.