Turkey and Rice Picadillo Empanadas
Ingredients
Filling:
- 3/4 cup Carolina® Organic White Rice or Carolina® White Rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup green olives, sliced
- 1/3 cup capers
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup cooked turkey, shredded
- 1/4 cup lime juice
Dough:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups masa harina
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp milk
Cilantro Cream:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
Learn how to make homemade empanada dough and a picadillo filling with fragrant Carolina® White Rice and leftover turkey, all served with a quick cilantro cream dipping sauce!
Filling
Step 1
Cook rice according to package directions; let cool completely.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet set over medium heat; cook onion, red pepper, garlic, thyme, cumin, chili powder, coriander, salt and pepper for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in olives, capers and raisins. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until well coated. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and 1/4 cup water. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are very tender and no liquid remains.
Step 3
Toss together organic rice, vegetable mixture, turkey and lime juice until well coated; set aside.
Dough
Step 4
Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir together all-purpose flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt. Stir in melted butter until well combined. Gradually add 3/4 cup water, kneading until soft dough starts to form. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 5
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Beat together egg and milk; set aside. Divide dough into 4 portions. On lightly floured work surface, roll out dough into 1/8-inch thickness. Using 5-inch round cutter, cut dough into 14 rounds, rerolling scraps as needed.
Step 6
Brush edges of each round with egg wash. Add 3 tbsp filling to center of each round; fold over to enclose filling and seal edges with fork. Place on parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 7
Brush empanadas with remaining egg wash. Using fork, prick top of pastry to create steam vents.
Step 8
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Cilantro Cream
Step 9
Stir together sour cream, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice and salt. Serve with empanadas.
Recipe Tips
Filling and dough can be made ahead, covered separately and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Use leftover Thanksgiving or holiday roast turkey to make the picadillo filling!
Try with Organic Certified Carolina® Organic White Rice.
What is Picadillo?
Taken from the Spanish word for picar, which means to chop or mince, this is a common Latin American dish from meat (commonly minced), tomatoes or tomato sauce, raisins, olives, and other ingredients that vary by wherever the dish is made.
The filling for this version is loaded with flavor from seasonings, vegetables, tomato paste, green olives, raisins and capers. Instead of minced meat, it uses shredded turkey making for the perfect way to use up leftover roasted turkey or chicken from a holiday dinner such as Thanksgiving or any other festive celebration. Make sure to check out more recipe ideas to use up Thanksgiving leftovers here.
Homemade Dough
To save time, make your homemade pie dough ahead of time! Simply gather all-purpose flour, masa harina, baking powder, salt, melted butter and water together, follow the step by step instructions shown above and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use! It will stay good for up to 2 days. Reserve the egg wash until right before placing in the oven.
Once you know how to make your own dough, you can explore with all kinds of sweet and savory fillings such as Rice Pudding Empanadas or Chorizo and Rice Empanadas.
Ingredient Substitutions
Alternatively, serve empanadas with chimichurri sauce.
