Ninfa'S Banana Empanadas - Empanadas De Platanos - cooking recipe

Ingredients

empanada dough
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
4 4 tablespoons shortening or 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small bits
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk (optional)
for each empanada
8 -10 small fresh bananas, sliced
8 -10 tablespoons dark seedless raisins
8 -10 tablespoons chopped pecans
8 -10 teaspoons honey
1 egg white, for sealing edges
oil, for frying
garnish
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
5 slices fresh bananas
1 teaspoon chopped pecans
1 teaspoon dark seedless raisins
4 1/2 ounces vanilla ice cream (1 scoop)
1 maraschino cherry
1/4 cup caramel sauce (available in grocery stores or make your own cajeta sauce)

Preparation

To make dough: Measure flour and sugar into bowl; stir to mix.
Add fat and thoroughly work it into the flour.
Dissolve salt in water (mix with egg yolk, if using), and add to flour mixture; mix to form a medium-stiff dough.
Knead for 4 to 5 minutes.
Divide dough into about 8 to 10 equal parts, roll into balls, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about 20 to 30 minutes to rest.
For each empanada, roll a ball of dough into a flat round, tortilla- shape, about 8 inches in diameter (use a tortilla press, if available).
Place on a hot pan and cook briefly on one side.
On the center of the tortilla, with the cooked side to the inside, put bananas, raisins, pecans and honey.
With a small pastry brush, brush egg white around the edges and fold it over to form a half-moon shape.
Press around the edges to seal with a fork.
Pour oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into a wide frying pan and heat oil to 350 degrees.
Fry empanadas for 2 minutes, turning as necessary, until golden brown.
Remove from oil and let drain.
Sprinkle powdered sugar over top, then cinnamon.
Garnish with banana slices, pecans, and raisins.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, top with the cherry and accompany with a pitcher of warm cajeta (caramel) sauce.