Smith's Chef Jeff Jackson's recipe, as presented on Good Day Utah!
For the Empanadas:
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion diced
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
8 oz. diced pimiento, drained
8 oz. diced green chiles
¼ c. tomato paste
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar
4 refrigerated pie crusts
2 eggs whisked
For the Cilantro Sauce:
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
¼ c. cashew pieces
1 tbsp. garlic, chopped
1 tsp. lime juice
¼ c. honey
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1/3 c. olive oil
Preheat your oven to 400. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a skillet over med-high heat, add a little cooking oil and brown the beef crumbling it as it cooks. Add the diced onion to cook with the beef. Once the beef is browned, drain any excess fat.
Stir in the cumin, chili powder, salt, green chiles, and pimiento, and tomato paste. Stir and cook another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Set aside.
Unroll the pie crusts on a cutting board and cut each into ¼ wedges. Add 2 tbsp. of filling to each dough wedge and fold the 2 smaller corners to each other to for the pocket. Use a fork to crimp the edges. Place the empanadas on the sheet pans and brush the tops with the whisked eggs.
Place in the oven to bake 10 minutes, rotating the pans as necessary halfway through the cooking time as necessary to promote even cooking.
As the empanadas bake make the sauce by combining its ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Remove the empanadas from the oven and set them aside to cool down.
Enjoy!
