Beef Empanadas

Empanadas are the Sephardic equivalent of that Ashkenazi delicacy: pirogi. Spanish Jews brought them to the Caribbean and Latin America in the years following the Inquisition. To keep empanadas kosher, Jewish cooks eliminated the lard in the dough and pork in the filling. To trim the fat, I’ve taken to making empanadas with Chinese wonton wrappers, which are available in Asian markets and the produce section of most supermarkets. (If unavailable, use egg roll wrappers and cut them into 3-in