Empanadas and chimichurri sauce

 I made chimichurri and empanadas tonight.  Even though there is a Mexican grocery close by, I have never been able to find the commercial wrappers and make them myself. I am not very patient at trying to make them look good and they don't.  They aren't pretty but i made 14 and by the time I got around to taking the picture, this was all that was left. 

CUBAN EMPANADAS  Fried or baked

FOR THE DOUGH:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup solid shortening, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 3/4-1 cup warm water

FOR THE PICADILLO FILLING:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1/2 cup red or green bell pepper, diced
• 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground beef (can substitute with ground turkey or ground chicken)
• 1/2-3/4 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2-3 cups of oil for frying
• Serve with: chimichurri sauce

FOR THE PICADILLO FILLING:

• Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and once oil is hot, add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add the ground meat to the skillet, stir well and continue cooking until beef is browned and fully cooked, about another 10 minutes.
  
  **After browning meat, can drain any excess fat from the pan.
• Add the sliced olives, tomato sauce, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, cumin, and dried oregano. Stir well so all ingredients are combined, cover pan and lower heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until mixture thickens.
  
  Check seasonings and add salt, if needed. Set aside and let mixture cool before filling each empanada.

For The Chimichurri:  Make 2 hours ahead

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup flat leafed parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 fresh lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon fresh or pickled jalapeno, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

ASSEMBLING THE EMPANADAS:

• Remove dough ball from refrigerator and separate into 10 equal sized balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each dough ball into a thin circle. Place a few tablespoons of the picadillo onto the center and fold half of the dough over, sealing the edges by pressing down with a fork or twisting the edges over to form a seal.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pot or deep fryer to 365F/185C degrees. **See recipe notes on how to bake empanadas instead of frying**
• Gently place 1-2 empanadas at a time in the hot oil (do not crowd) and cook until brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from oil and let drain on wire rack. Repeat with remaining empanadas.
• Serve warm with lots of chimichurri on the side.