Empanadas - S. American

-----------------------------------DOUGH----------------------------------- 2 c Flour, all purpose

2/3 c Shortening or lard

1/2 ts Salt

6 tb Water

-------------------------------DESSERT FRUIT------------------------------- 2 1/2 c Fruit

1 ts Cinnamon

1 c Sugar

1/2 ts Nutmeg

------------------------------CARNE ( ANY MEAT------------------------------ 1 Onion

1 tb Olive oil

4 oz Water

Sal and Pepper to taste 1 Pepper, green

8 oz Tomato paste

1 tb Vinegar

1 lb Beef, sliced thinly

DOUGH: In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in the shortening or lard till pieces are the size of small peas. Add a small amount of water to slightly moisten. Form dough into a ball. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 thick and cut into 4" circles. Flour lightly both side of circles and then stack up for later use. DESSERT FILLING: Just about any kind of fruit or melon may be used. Combine ingredients and heat to thoroughly mix, coarse chop, so that filling is chunky but bite-sized. Pumpkins is very good!! CARNE: Just about any kind of meat may be used, depending on availability. The sauce seems to be the only fairly consistent thing. Saute the onion and green pepper in olive oil. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 20 minutes. ( In S.A. this is continually cooked and prepared on the back burner, often being used and added to for several months at a time. It developes a flavor all its own...) Add meat and coat thoroughly with the sauce. COOKING: Add a large spoonfull of one of the above mixtures to the center of a dough circle. Place another circle on top. Fasten the two circles together by reeding the edges with a fork. These may then be baked, at around 350 degrees F until brown, deep fat fried, fried, cooked or heated on a barbecue. They may also be wrapped in banana husks, well moistened corn husks, etc. The object is to heat thoroughly, cooking the meat and browning the outsides so they are dry enough to hold together.