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Filomena's Empanaditas de Carne
(Little Meat Turnovers)
A mincemeat turnover common throughout New Mexico. A favorite on New Year's Day.

Filling:
½ lb. beef tongue (or roast), boiled until tender
½ lb. dried peaches, cooked
½ Tbsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ cup sugar
¼ cup raisins
2 tsp. broth in which beef was boiled

 Dough:
4 ½ cups unbleached flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
¾ cup shortening
1 ½ cups water
  1. Using food chopper or processor, coarsely grind cooked meat and peaches.
  2. Add spices, sugar, raisins and broth. Mix well by hand.
  3. Place filling in a bowl. Cover with a towel. Let stand 4 hours. (Today, place filling in a sealable bag. Seal. Let stand in refrigerator 4 hours.)
  4. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
  5. Cut in shortening. Add water. Knead by hand until dough is smooth.
  6. Preheat oven to 375º to 400º. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to ⅛ inch thick. Cut the dough in round pieces 3 inches in diameter. (Hint: A 13 oz. coffee can is perfect to cut dough.) Roll out each round piece to about 4 ½ inches in diameter.
  7. Fill with 1 heaping tablespoon filling. Dip fingertip in cold water and moisten bottom
    half of circle. Fold dough over filling and press together with fingertips or fork.
  8. Place empanaditas on a cookie sheet. Puncture top of each empanadita twice with
    fork. Bake at 375º to 400º for 25 to 30 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Makes approximately 2 dozen 4 ½ inch, 1 ½ oz. empanaditas.