Picadillo is a traditional Latin dish that is made with ground beef, tomatoes and peppers. Every Latin American country makes their version a little different and this one is the Cuban version that uses olives, raisins/currants, garlic, oregano and a bit of red wine vinegar. The name Picadillo comes from the verb Picar which means “to mince”.
I always loved empanadas which are Latin pastries that are stuffed and either baked or fried. I chose to bake mine as they are much healthier and a lot less messy. The word empanada comes from the verb “empanar” which means “to wrap or coat in bread” To see how I made my Baked Picadillo Empanadas, keep reading.
I always loved empanadas which are Latin pastries that are stuffed and either baked or fried. I chose to bake mine as they are much healthier and a lot less messy. The word empanada comes from the verb “empanar” which means “to wrap or coat in bread” To see how I made my Baked Picadillo Empanadas, keep reading.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 4" inch stick cinnamon
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, halved
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2-lbs. ground beef
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- ¾ cups raisins
- ¾ cup green pimento-stuffed olives, halved
- 1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained, crushed
- ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 packages of large Goya frozen Empanada discs (each package contains 10 discs)
- 1 large egg, beaten with a couple tablespoons of water (this will be used for the eggwash)
- Flour for dusting your wooden board
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 12" cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add cinnamon stick, onions, and peppers; cook, stirring, until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add half the ground cinnamon, oregano, cloves, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it browns, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; add raisins, olives, and tomatoes. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Stir in remainder of ground cinnamon, almonds, and vinegar.
- Once done, let cool before you make your Empanadas.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Dust a wooden board with some flour and lay out a empanada disc onto it. Place about 2 heaping tablespoons of the meat mixture into the center of the disc. Carefully fold over to close to form half circles. With the tines of a fork, crimp the ends close as I have it in the picture. Lay out on a baking sheet lined with non stick foil. Brush the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!
Jennifer Johnson says
February 16, 2014 at 9:29 amI have always been curious about empanadas. This sounds tasty!
Jennifer Johnson recently posted…Family Meal Plan Feb 16 – 21
Sandi says
February 16, 2014 at 10:51 amThanks Jen….they are really good and I think you would like them! Have a great day! 🙂
Cathy says
February 16, 2014 at 3:50 pmThanks for sharing at the Happiness Is Homemade Link Party! Pinning to the party board and can’t wait to see what happiness posts you share next week! Have a terrific week!
Cathy
APeekIntoMyParadise.com
Sandi says
February 17, 2014 at 6:18 pmThanks Cathy so much!! 🙂 Have a great evening!
Sandi says
March 8, 2014 at 8:14 amThanks so much Joanne! and I hope you have a great evening! 🙂
Nicole Neverman says
March 24, 2014 at 7:44 pmAwesome recipe Sandi! I love that they are baked as well. I have actually been looking for a decent baked Empanada recipe so thanks very much! 🙂
Nicole Neverman recently posted…Chicken Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce