Empanadas & Frijoles Charros
Empanadas and Frijoles Charros Dish Guide
For the Frijoles
2 15 oz cans pinto beans
1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
8 oz pork chorizo
1 serrano, minced
¼ white onion, diced
Water (as needed)
Salt and pepper to taste
Add the chorizo to a skillet over medium heat and crumble and cook. When mostly cooked through, add in the serrano and onion and sauté in the chorizo fat for 4-5 minutes or until softening. Drain most of the liquid from the beans and tomatoes and add to the skillet. Stir and scrape up any fond on the bottom of the pan, adding water if necessary to get desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Optionally you can smash some of the beans with the back of a spatula if you want a creamier consistency.
For the Empanadas
Thawed empanada dough discs (or use refrigerated pie crust cut into 5-6” circles)
1 lb lean ground beef
1 small white onion, diced (about ½ cup)
1 serrano pepper, minced
2 T tomato paste
1 t ground cumin
1 t chipotle chili powder
1 t garlic powder
4 oz pimento peppers, drained
8 oz freshly grated pepper jack cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Egg
1 T olive oil
Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium high heat and begin to brown the beef. Add salt and pepper to taste along with the cumin, chili powder and garlic powder. Crumble up the beef and cook it through. Add in the onion and serrano and stir, sauteing for 5-7 minutes or until onions have softened. Make a well in the center of the skillet and add in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add in the pimentos and stir everything to thoroughly combine. Set mixture aside to cool slightly.
Preheat your oven to 400 F
Place a dough disc on your board and place 1-2 spoonfuls of the filling on one half of the disc. Top with shredded cheese and fold the other half of the dough over forming a semi-circle. Use a fork to crimp the edges so that none of the filling will leak out. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. This should make 6-8 empanadas.
Lay empanadas on a greased baking sheet. Beat the egg in a bowl with a splash of water. Brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash and bake at 400 F for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
