Pork Empanaditas with Red Pepper Sauce

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook pork with green chiles, 1/2 cup onion, 2 teaspoons garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt, stirring and breaking up clumps until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer pork filling to a bowl and stir in currants, nuts, and cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste and let cool.

2. For red pepper sauce: Clean skillet and heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Cook remaining 1/2 cup onion, 1 teaspoon garlic, and peppers, stirring until onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Puree pepper mixture in a food processor until almost smooth and transfer to a bowl. Stir in vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Preheat oven to 425 degree F.

4. Working with one sheet of dough at a time, unroll dough onto a lightly floured surface, keeping sections intact (pinch together any seams that start to separate with your fingers) and roll out with a floured rolling pin to form a 17- by 13-inch rectangular sheet. With a floured 3-1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible from one sheet. Repeat with remaining dough until you have 30 rounds (you may have extra dough).

5. Place a level teaspoon of filling in center of dough, brushing 1/2 of edge with egg, and fold pastry over filling, pinching edges of dough to seal, forming a half-moon. Brush tops with egg.

6. Bake empanaditas on a large greased cookie sheet in middle of oven until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with red pepper sauce.