Recipe and photo courtesy of Chef Gonzalo Guzmán, Nopalito, San Francisco
Filling
- 1 cup shredded beef (from chuck or shoulder)
- 1 ½ cups diced tomatoes (can be canned)
- ½ jalapeño pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons water
- Salt to taste
Dough
- 2 cups tortilla dough
- 2 tablespoons lard
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Fried Guajillo Salsa
- 20 g fried guajillo chilies
- ¼ cup fried chili peppers
- 2 raw garlic cloves
- 80 g boiled tomatillos
- ¼ cup oil for frying
- 100 g onion
- Salt to taste
- Enough water to cover the chilies
Preparation of the Sauce
Heat the oil and fry the chilies until they turn bright red. Cover them with water and let them boil until they soften.
Add the other ingredients and blend until you get a smooth, homogeneous sauce.
Preparation of the dough
Mix the dough with the lard and baking powder until completely blended.
Preparation of the filling
Blend all the sauce ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Let cool and mix with the shredded meat.
Assembly of the empanadas
Form a tortilla with approximately 60 g (2 ounces) of dough using a press. Place 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center and fold to close.
In a 30 cm (12") skillet, heat about 475 ml (16 ounces) of rice bran oil to 175 °C (350 °F).
Carefully place the empanadas in the hot oil. Fry for 2 minutes on one side, turn them over, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Remove from the oil and place on paper towels to remove excess grease.
Serve with the fried guajillo sauce on top. You can accompany them with shredded cabbage, sour cream, fresh cheese, chopped onion, and cilantro to taste.