Keto Empanadas (Dominican Style)

Ingredients

• 1/2 each Red onion Diced
• 4 each Garlic cloves Diced
• 1/2 each Poblano Pepper Diced (or any pepper you like)
• 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro chopped
• 3 pounds Ground beef Grass Fed, 80/20
• 3 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 5 teaspoons Garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons Black pepper Ground
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 2 teaspoons Onion powder
• 14.5 ounces Diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2.5 cups Fresh mozzarella cheese (330g)
• 2 ounces Cream cheese Can use 4 oz if desired
• 1.5 cups Almond Flour Blanched
• 1 tablespoon Baking powder
• 3 each Eggs scrambled

Instructions

1. Meat Filling
2. 1. Dice all veggies and set aside
3. 2. Brown ground beef in large non-stick skillet or wok
4. 3. Add Salt, Garlic powder (4 tsp), Black Pepper, Oregano, Onion powder and cook beef about 50% way
5. 4. Add fresh Onion and Garlic cook to about 90% done
6. 5. Add Poblano Pepper and diced Tomatoes
7. 6. Reduce and skim excess fat for crispier textured empanada (don’t overly dry out the meat mixture)
8. 7. Add fresh Cilantro and turn off heat
9. Dough
10. 1. Mix 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, Baking Powder with Almond Flour
11. 2. Melt Mozzarella in skillet or wok (med low heat)
12. 3. Add Cream Cheese and mix well
13. 4. Slowly add in dry ingredients continuously mixing and folding
14. 5. turn off heat before adding 2 eggs continue folding and mixing until fully incorporated
15. 6. Cut dough into 8 equal parts
16. Final product
17. 1. Flatten dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper (~1/8 in)
18. 2. Add filling to 1/2 (leave space around edge to seal/close)
19. 3. Fold over and press seal - use fork to press around edge (dip fork in water to keep from sticking)
20. 4. Place on cookie sheet, covered with parchment paper and egg wash (1 egg scrambled)
21. 5. Bake at 400F for 10-14 minutes (up to 5 additional minutes if necessary)
22. Important Notes
23. 1: you can blend Onion, Garlic, Cilantro and Peppers with a splash of vinegar to make Sofrito dipping sauce
24. 2. Work with the dough while its still warm, melty & just made, cheese will harden if you wait too long and could fall apart while shaping.
25. 3. This recipe has more beef than needed to make 8 so you can make extra dough and freeze them or you can use less beef, that is up to you. 4. Do not use aluminum foil when baking they will stick on badly use parchment paper
26. 5. Don’t over cook the meat or the empanadas till it’s overly dry, follow the steps and you will be fine. Add some broth or water if it gets too dry, you can also leave the grease in the beef and that should help.
27. https://youtu.be/GIGkvYcAudg