Pasteis de Carne

Ingredients

Pastry
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons shortening, melted to lukewarm
1/2 cup milk, mixed with
1/2 cup hot water


Filling
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 tomatoes, peeled,seeded and chopped
1 lb ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, chopped
8 green olives, chopped
oil (for deep frying)



Directions
1.To prepare the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl.
2.Add the melted shortening and warm milk and water.
3.Mix to a smooth dough and cut into 2 pieces.
4.To prepare the filling, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and garlic and fry for 5 minutes until soft and golden.
5.Add the tomatoes, ground beef and salt.
6.Simmer for 20 minutes until almost dry.
7.Remove from the heat.
8.Add the chopped parsley, egg, cheese and olives and mix well.
9.To assemble pastries, roll out the pastry on a floured board to 1/8 inch thickness.
10. Put 12, 4 inch circles from each piece, 24 circles.
11.Place 1 tablespoon filling on each circle and moisten around the edge with warm water.
12.Fold over and seal the edges well.
13.Deep fry in preheated 375f degree oil for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and crisp.
14.Remove with slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper towel.
15.The pastries are also delicious cold and make good picnic fare.
16.They may also be made without the ground beef.
17. Variation to replace ground beef, use finely chopped ham, chopped chicken, or shrimp.

Review: These are great as main dish or side dish. My mother in law made these a lot. I took a short cut and used round Asian won ton wrap found in the refrigerator section of the grocery store for the dough.