astray recipes: Sausage empanadas

Categories: Appetizer; Sausage; Tex/mexican
Yield: 16 servings

Measure	Ingredient
	Makes 16 appetizers
	Crust
2 cups	All-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon	Salt
⅔ cup	Butter
4 eaches	To 6 tablespoons cold water
	Filling
½ pounds	Ground sausage
1 cup	Chunky picante sauce
¼ cup	Chopped ripe olives
¼ cup	Raisins (optional)
1 each	Egg, hard-cooked, peeled, chopped
½ teaspoon	Garlic powder
1 each	Egg, slightly beaten
	Additional picante sauce

Heat oven to 425. For crust, in large bowl combine flour and salt.

Cut in butter until crumbly; with fork mix in just enough water to form a ball. Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic wrap; set aside.

For filling, in 10-inch skillet cook sausage over medium heat, stirring occasionnally, until crumbly and browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

Drain fat. Add 1 cup picante sauce. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, 5 to 6 minutes. Add olives, raisins, hard-cooked egg and garlic powder. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until well mixed, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

On lightly floured surface, shape each half of dough into 15-inch log. Roll each log into 20X5-inch rectangle. Cut each rectangle into 8(5X2½-inch) rectangles. On one side of each rectangle place about 1 tablespoon of filling mixture. Brush edges of dough with water.

Fold opposite side of dough over filling mixture; pinch edges together. With fork press to seal edges. Brush with beaten egg. Cut "X" in top of each empanada. Place empanadas on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 14 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve with additional picante sauce.

Submitted By LINE LAJEUNESSE On 10-27-94

sausage empanadas