Sweet-Potato Empanadas

Step 1

For the dough: In a large bowl, place the flour, sugar, and salt and whisk together until well blended. Use your hands to knead the shortening into the flour mixture. It will be crumbly and look like coarse meal, and if you squeeze a handful it will cohere but fall apart again when dropped back into the bowl. Add the egg and 1/2 cup of water, then mix well with a wooden spoon or your hands. Form the dough into a flattened disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.

Step 2

For the filling: If using fresh sweet potatoes, place them in a large saucepan with the cinnamon sticks and cover with cold water. Simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks. Let stand until cool. If using canned sweet potatoes, place them in a large saucepan with their juice. Add the cinnamon sticks and heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks. Let stand until cool.

Step 3

Transfer the cooled sweet potatoes to the work bowl of a food processor and pulse in one-second bursts just until the potatoes are mashed; do not puree. Stir in the sugar (canned sweet potatoes may already be sweetened).

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 1 or 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Step 5

Form the dough into 30 golf ball–size balls; keep the balls covered with a damp cloth. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a 4-inch circle. Fill each with a scant tablespoon of the mashed sweet potatoes. Fold the dough over the filling to form a half circle and pinch the edges together. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and cover with a damp cloth. Continue until all the empanadas are formed.

Step 6

Remove the cloth and press the tines of a fork around the edge of each empanada to crimp. Bake until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet. Transfer to a platter and serve warm.

Deep-Frying

Step 7

When done correctly, deep-frying produces tender and moist food with a light and crispy exterior. It is not hard to do, especially if you follow just a few important guidelines. To begin, the right tools make the job easier. Invest in a deep-fry thermometer, which is widely available and inexpensive, and takes all the guesswork out of the most important aspect of deep-frying: the temperature of the oil. If you fry in oil that is not hot enough, the food will be soggy; too hot, and the food will burn on the outside before it is cooked on the inside. To use a deep-fry thermometer, simply clip it to the side of the pan so that the bulb of the thermometer is in the oil but not touching the bottom of the pan. Monitor the temperature of the oil throughout the frying process and adjust the heat up or down as necessary to maintain the oil’s temperature. Second, use a large, deep pan such as a Dutch oven or a deep, straight-sided skillet. Last, a “spider”—basically a long-handled strainer—or a slotted spoon makes it easy to add and remove food from the hot oil.

Step 8

A few techniques will help you produce the moist interiors and crispy exteriors that the best deep fryers are known for. First and most important, don’t overcrowd the pan. The more cold food you add, the quicker the temperature of the oil will drop and the soggier the end result will be. Fry in batches to maintain a steadier temperature, but make sure the temperature of the oil is returned to the indicated temperature after removing one batch and before adding the next batch. Next, do not skimp on the amount of oil you use. The food you’re frying needs room to move around without being crowded. Finally, make sure to remove any large bits of food or coating left in the oil between batches. This can burn and impart flavors to the food you are frying.