Beef Carnitas Empanada

Carnitas:
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 lb beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
1 cup beef broth
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
(yeilds 4 cups)

Filling:
2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 cup sliced green pepper
1 cup choppped seeded tomato
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 cup Carnitas recipe

Dough:
9 T. water
1 tsp. cider vinegar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sugar

For the Carnitas portion:
Heat a large Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add onion and saute 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add beef and saute 5 minutes or until beef is browned on all sides. Stir in broth, sugar, salt, pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Remove cover, continue simmering 10 minutes or until liquid almost evaporate, stirring frequently.

For filling:
Heat large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add onion and bell pepper; saute 5 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Stir in tomato, red pepper flakes and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of Beef Carnitas mixture. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For the dough: Combine 9 T. water, cider vinegar. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups and level with a knife. Place flour, baking powder, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse 2 times. Add butter. Process until mixture resembles a course meal. With processors on slowly pour in vinegar mixture just until dough begins to form a ball (dough will be crumbly).

Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time press dough into a 4 inch circle on heavy duty plastic wrap. Cover with aditional plastic wrap. Place dough in freezer 5 minutes so that wrap can be easily removed.

Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Unwrap 1 portiion of dough; place on plastic wrap. Cover with 2 additional pieces of plastic wrap, over lapping. Roll dough, still covered, into an 11 inch circle. Repeat with other portion of dough. Place both portions in freezer so wrap can be easily removed.

Remove plastic wrap from one portion and place, plastic wrap side up, on a large baking sheet covered with cooking spray. Remove top sheet of wrap. Spoon filling onto dough, leaving 1 inch border. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap from remaining dough portion. Place dough, wrap side up, over filling. Remove wrap. Pinch edges together to seal. Sut several slits in the top of the dough to allow steam to escape. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until crust is crisp and begining to brown. Cut into 8 wedges.


Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user KLYN2006.