In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we're serving up a family recipe for this week's Chef's Kitchen.

We're talking about the empanadas that bested television chef Bobby Flay back in 2019 on his show.

Watch the video above as Virginia Johnson takes you to Clearwater where chefs Ricardo Castro and Rosanna Rivera let us in on the secret.

Ingredients

All-purpose flour
Vegetable shortening
White vinegar, 4 ounces
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 80/20 (good substitutes are chicken thighs or eggplant diced)
Garlic cloves, peeled, qty 9
Yellow onion, 1 small
Spanish manzanilla olives
Idaho potatoes, qty 2-3
Extra virgin olive oil
Sazon with Annatto, 1 packet
Tomato sauce, 1 can, 15 ounces
Kosher salt
Whole fresh eggs, qty 2
Parsley, curly, 1 bunch

Empanada Dough
Yield: 10 to 12 discs medium size

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening, cold
1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 cup ice cold water (chill with ice cubes or keep refrigerated)

Procedure

In the bowl of a food processor, add dry ingredients including the shortening.

Pulse until the shortening becomes pea-sized - If you do not have a food processor, the dough can be made in a mixer or by hand in a large bowl by breaking apart the shortening with a fork, "cutting" into the flour.

Add vinegar and while pulsing, add about 3/4 cup of the water. Pulse until a shaggy dough forms

Remove dough from processor and place on clean, floured surface.

Optional: Add remaining wa0ter a tablespoon at a time if all the flour has not been moistened.

Gently knead into a smooth dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Classic Beef Picadillo
Yield: 10 to 12 portions

1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 80/20 (good substitutes are chicken thighs or eggplant diced)
1 teaspoon fresh garlic paste (approximately 4 garlic cloves gound into paste)

1/4 cup yellow onion small dice

1/ 2 cup chopped manzanilla olives
1 cup Idaho potatoes, peeled and small diced (approximately 1 potato) 1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Sazon seasoning
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Kosher salt (optional)

Procedure
Preheat sauce pan with oil on medium high heat.
Add ground beef in batches and stir quickly to break apart.
Cook until browned.
Add garlic, onion, potatoes, olives, and Sazon. Mix well.
Add tomato sauce
Lower heat to medium low.
Allow to cook and develop flavor for 30 to 45 minutes.
Monitor sauce so that it does not dry.
Mix every 10 minutes or so. Lower heat if liquids are reducing too quickly
Check tenderness in potatoes. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt
Remove from heat and allow to cool down
Refrigerate overnight or at least 30 minutes before using to fill empanadas

Filling & Baking Empanadas

Egg Wash
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon water

Procedure
Whisk eggs and water until blended, set aside until ready to use

Procedure
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Prepare your discs for filling.
Divide dough into 10 to 12 pieces and shape into golf size balls.
Roll out to 1/8 inch-thick rounds.
Cut into uniform rounds using a 6-inch cookie cutter or tracing a bowl with a knife.
Alternatively, use a 6" tortilla press covered with plastic wrap.
Add 3 ounces of filling to the center of each disc.
Brush the edges with water.

Fold over in half to close. Pinch the edges together and remove any air by pressing away from the filling.
Starting at a corner fold and pinch to create rope.

Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and repeat process for the rest of the empanadas.
Brush the tops with egg wash prior to baking for a golden color.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 18 to 20 mins.