How do you make empanadas?

To make empanadas, cook ground meat with onions, jalapeños and spices, and then make a dough using flour, butter, salt and baking powder. Roll the dough out, cut the dough into circles, place the filling inside the dough, and fry the empanadas.

In a skillet, cook 2 pounds of ground beef or ground pork over medium-high heat until the meat is browned, and then add 2 diced onions and 2 diced jalapeños to the meat. Continue cooking until the onion is soft, and add 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder and two 14.5-ounce cans of tomatoes to the meat. Cook the mixture for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the filling from the heat, mix in 1 cup of fresh cilantro, and allow the mixture to cool.

To make the dough, combine 4 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 2 teaspoons of salt. Cut 1 stick of cold butter into the flour mixture until the mixture appears coarse, and add water slowly until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface, and cut 4- to 6-inch circles out of the rolled dough.

Place a small amount of the filling mixture on one half of the circle of dough, and fold the dough over to create a pocket for the filling. Crimp the outer edge of the dough with a fork. Fry the empanadas at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 to 7 minutes, and serve immediately.