Empanadas Fritas - Fried Empanadas Recipe

Meat turnovers are a traditional Spanish appetizer. Yields about 40 turnovers.

For dough-
Ingredients:
3/4 cup lard or shortening
1 T. salt
3/4 cup hot water

V.S.P. Cut shortening into flour. Dissolve salt in water and add to flour mixture. On a floured pastry board, roll out the dough as thin as possible. Cut circles about 3-1/2 to 4 inches in diameter out of the pastry. Put about 1 tablespoon of filling on each round. Pinch edges or crimp them with a fork. Fry in deep oil at 380 degrees. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

For filling:
Ingredients:
2 T. oil
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
60 medium pitted olives
2 T. raisins
1 t. paprika

V.S.P. Sauté the onions with the pork. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. At this point, when you have removed filling from the stove, you can add 1 chopped hard-cooked egg to the filling if you wish.