Empanaaaadas!

I had a craving for emapandas but sadly, while these were acceptable, I would not make them again. This may or may not be due to my traumatic childhood incident involving tacos and a stomach bug/food poisoning from my dad. They were glorified tacos in puff pastry. Mr. Lawyer loved them but he is a boy and therefore inhales everything edible (and sometimes inedible). He even wants to eat one for breakfast. Gross. However the black bean dipping sauce was pretty awesome and I would make it again for a mexican themed night. It was also a pretty purplish color. It doesn't help that the empandas I had in mind were wonderfully delicious ones from the Good Dog Bar that contained thinly sliced ribeye steak, truffled cheddar cheese and had a bourbon infused rogue chocolate stout dipping sauce. In case you don't understand what all of that means (truffled (!?) cheese?!), it means awesomeness. Granted all of this was consumed after Flipadelphia so take it with a shot grain of salt. I also had some of the best lo mien of my life that night at Charles Plaza in China Town.

Beef Empanadas with Black Bean Dipping Sauce

(from Bon Appetit) 

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound ground beef
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper
1/3 cup fresh cilantro (Which I totally omitted)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package puff pastry
3 egg yolks, beaten (for glazed)
I added cheese to each one, whatever kind you would like.
Dipping Sauce:
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sour cream
2 roma tomatoes, seeded, chopped and divided
2 large scallions, chopped, divided
Directions:
1. Heat oil over medium-high heat and brown beef with garlic, approximately 3 minutes.
2. Add tomato paste, cumin and cayenne to beef, stirring often for 4ish minutes.
3. Add cilantro, salt and pepper (to taste) and let beef come to room temperature.
4. Preheat oven to 375 and cut puff pastry sheets in to 4.5 inch squares.
5. Lightly brush edges with egg glaze, put in a spoonful of filling (meat and cheese!) and fold pastry over. Crimp edges with a fork and coat with egg glaze. Bake until golden and puffy, approximately 20 minutes.
Dipping Sauce Directions:
1. Puree beans and sour cream in the blender. Transfer to bowl. Add half of the tomatoes and scallions, stir. Top sauce with the remaining half of tomatoes and scallions.

Obviously I suck at math and did not make triangles.