Brazilian Empanadas

Photo: flickr user Ewan-M

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

teaspoon turmeric

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons shortening

1 egg

cup beer

1 small onion cut ½" dice

2 plum tomatoes cut 1/2" dice

1 can hearts of palm - (14 oz) drained, and

palms cut into 1/2" dice

2 tablespoons butter

cup Sherry

1 tablespoon tomato paste

pound shrimp peeled, deveined,

and cut into 1/2" dice

Salt to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

1 egg yolk

Oil for frying

Preparation

Sift together the flour, salt, and tumeric. Work in the butter and shortening until it has a cornmeal-like consistency. Add the egg and the beer, and work until incorporated. Cover with a wet towel, and rest for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the onion, tomatoes, and hearts of palm in butter for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft. Deglaze with the Sherry. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool to room temperature.

Preheat oil to 350 degrees.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and flatten into rounds approximately 3-inches in diameter. Spoon 1 tablespoon of stuffing onto each round, fold the dough in half, brush edges with egg yolk, and pinch to seal. Fry the empanadas for 4 minutes.

This recipe yields 20 servings.