Beef Empanadas by Aisha Ruperto

Préparation

Readymade wrappers made especially for frying and a few clutch seasonings help these empanadas come together quickly. We used Goya brand Sazón, adobo seasoning, and empanada wrappers (sometimes sold frozen), which are widely available in the U.S. and in many Latin markets.

*This recipe originally ran stateside on HexClad.com.

Make the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, hot sauce, and lime juice. Cover and chill.
Make the empanadas: Heat 1 tablespoon/12 milliliters of the oil in a HexClad 10"/25 cm Hybrid Fry Pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add beef, adobo, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder and Sazón; cook, breaking the meat into pieces until fully cooked through and browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons beef mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese onto the center of each empanada wrapper. Moisten wrapper edges with a finger dipped in water. Fold wrapper over filling to form a half-moon, firmly press edges together to seal, and crimp edges with the tines of a fork.
In a HexClad 4.5QT Hybrid Deep Sauté Pan, pour oil to a depth of about ½ inch/1½ centimeters and heat to 350°F/175°C. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, fry empanadas until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Carefully transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain; let cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with dipping sauce.