This is another recipe that comes from a fantastic recipe blog out there. This one is from Elise Bauer over at Simply Recipes. I only recently discovered this treasure trove, but I have yet to try a recipe from there that hasn't been fantastic. These aren't what I would consider mainstream empanadas, but they sure are tasty. They are more Indian/curry inspired. If you're looking for a more standard, Latin American flavored empanada, you might want to this Argentinean version sounds pretty great, though as a disclaimer, I have not made those. So I took the recipe that was posted, and I streamlined it for my kitchen a bit. Since I'm keeping myself busy with the dissertation and the job, I'm all about making quick, healthy, filling and delicious food. So, instead of making pastry at home, I picked up a package of Goya Discos para Empanadas. They are available in our international grocery store's freezer section and they are amazing. If you don't have access to them, you can also use puff pastry, wonton wrappers or make your own. The link above to the Simply Recipes version has an awesome sounding recipe for pastry.
Just as a side note, a lot of this recipe can be made ahead of time. The pork can be mixed up 1-2 days before you needed it, the assembled empanadas can be stored in the fridge for 12-24 hours and you can even freeze them before cooking for a ready-made weeknight meal. They are also great reheated after being baked.
