Happy National Empanada Day!
Never has a tasty treat been so deserving of its own day of celebration. Empanadas are the greatest culinary creation ever. Their origins can be traced back to Portugal in the late 16th century, most likely inspired by Indian samosas. They can be filled with everything from meat to fruit and everything in between.
If you are lucky enough to live somewhere with Hispanic eateries, you can pick up a couple for less than $5 and be satisfied for the rest of the day. Baked or fried, savory or sweet, common fillings include ground beef, chicken tamarillo(stew), ham and cheese, chorizo and onions, roasted pork or guava and cheese, mango and black bean,
and berries and brie. My preference is for fried empanadas made with picadillo, (which by the way, taste incredible with guasacaca sauce) but I also like making my own hot pockets with pepperoni, sauce and lots of cheese.
Any grocer that carries Goya products in their freezer section is likely to also carry empanada discos, or rounds, with or without annato sold in packs of ten. The “discos” thaw pretty quickly in the fridge and should be used immediately. Returning them to the freezer after thawing will reduce the quality of the dough. Once thawed, I like to dust a surface with flour and roll them out very slightly but not too much! You don’t want to overstuff them because when you fold the dough over, you run the risk of tearing a hole. Amazon.com sells different sized turnover presses that will help you properly stuff and crimp shut your empanadas but using a fork to crimp/seal the edges will work all the same. Empanadas fry up pretty fast; they only need two-three minutes, tops, in a deep fryer. They can be baked per the package instructions, but they really don’t come out the same. 
I’m sick as a dog with this flu that’s hitting everyone in Indiana, so no cooking took place. Tomorrow, however, I will be making both beef and chicken tamarillo empanadas.