Veal Pie - Empanada

[Bob]

Here is my grandmother's recipe for veal pie (empanada) using American style measurements. In reality, she never measured: she just knew hown much of each ingredient to use. It can be made either as one big pie or several smaller ones.


Crust:
1 stick butter
1/2 envelope dry yeast, dissolved in a little water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2.5 to 3 cups flour
1/2 cup water

Put butter, cut into chunks or slices, in a large bowl. Heat the water to near boiling, and pour it over the butter. Stir until the butter dissolves. Cool to lukewarm. Add the yeast dissolved in a little water. Add salt, then add flour and mix until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead well, and return the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Let rise 1 to 1.5 hours in a warm place. Divide the dough in half, and roll out the bottom to fit a baking dish (9 x 13) or two small pie pans.


Filling:
2.5-3 pounds stewing veal, cut into cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup canned tomatoes
halved pimientos

Brown the cubed veal with 4 minced cloves of garlic and a little salt. Drain canned tomatoes in a colander and add 1 cup of the drained tomatoes to the veal. Simmer until the meat is done. If it looks too juicy to use as a filling, thicken it as you would a gravy. Pour the meat mixture into a pastry-lined pan. Cover the meat mixture with halved pimientos. Cover the pie with the top crust, and seal it well. Cut slits into the top crust. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then 350 for about 35 minutes. During the last ten minutes of baking, remove the pie from the oven and brush it with one beaten egg. Return the pie to the oven for ten minutes, until the top is golden.

[Art]

Thanks for the recipe, Bob. Do you know if this can be made with pork or chicken?

[Bob]

While I've never tried it with portk or chicken, I think that either one would be good. I would use a little extra garlic with the pork, though.

Bob

[Barbara Alonso Novellino]

A cousin of mine makes this everytime we go to West Virginia for a visit. She generally uses chopped meat...Also she sometimes makes it with canned Tuna Fish also very good. I bet you can use chicken also. This is an absolutely wonderful meal...

I made it a few times, cheating and using Pillsbury pie shells, isn't as good as making your own dough, but not bad especially when you are in a hurry...Barbara Alonso Novellino

[Bob]

I modified my grandmother's veal empanada recipe to make it with pork rather than veal. Here's what I did.


Crust:
1 stick butter
1/2 envelope dry yeast, dissolved in a little water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2.5 to 3 cups flour
1/2 cup water

Put butter, cut into chunks or slices, in a large bowl. Heat the water to near boiling, and pour it over the butter. Stir until the butter dissolves. Cool to lukewarm. Add the yeast dissolved in a little water. Add salt, then add flour and mix until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead well, and return the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Let rise 1 to 1.5 hours in a warm place. Divide the dough in half, and roll out the bottom to fit a baking dish (9 x 13) or two small pie pans.


Filling:
2.5 to 3 pounds very lean pork, cut into small cubes
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup canned tomatoes
1 large jar pimientos, sliced (Use the ones imported from Spain that are wood smoked, if you can get them.)
Spanish Brandy (I use Fundador)
1 cup dry white wine

Brown the cubed pork. When the pork is brown, add the garlic and a little salt. Add 2 or 3 ounces of brandy and burn off the alcohol fumes. Be careful, the flames will leap up quite high. Add the canned tomatoes and white wine and simmer until the pork is tender. Add water if needed. Boil off any excess liquid at the end of the cooking time, or thicken it as you would a gravy. Pour the meat mixture into a pastry-lined pan. Cover the meat mixture with sliced pimientos. Cover the pie with the top crust, and seal it well. Cut slits into the top crust. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then 350 for about 35 minutes. During the last ten minutes of baking, remove the pie from the oven and brush it with one beaten egg. Return the pie to the oven for ten minutes, until the top is golden.

[Bob]

This is equally good served at room temperature. It makes wonderful picnic food, hand held and non-sloppy.