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For the dough: In a large bowl, place the flour, sugar, and salt and whisk together until well blended.
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Use your hands to knead the shortening into the flour mixture.
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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.
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Add the egg and 1/2 cup of water, then mix well with a wooden spoon or your hands.
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Form the dough into a flattened disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
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For the filling: If using fresh sweet potatoes, place them in a large saucepan with the cinnamon sticks and cover with cold water.
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Simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
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Drain well.
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Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks.
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Let stand until cool.
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If using canned sweet potatoes, place them in a large saucepan with their juice.
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Add the cinnamon sticks and heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
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Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks.
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Let stand until cool.
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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.
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Stir in the sugar (canned sweet potatoes may already be sweetened).
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Preheat the oven to 350F.
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Line 1 or 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
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Form the dough into 30 golf ballsize balls; keep the balls covered with a damp cloth.
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On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a 4-inch circle.
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Fill each with a scant tablespoon of the mashed sweet potatoes.
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Fold the dough over the filling to form a half circle and pinch the edges together.
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Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and cover with a damp cloth.
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Continue until all the empanadas are formed.
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Remove the cloth and press the tines of a fork around the edge of each empanada to crimp.
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Bake until browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
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Let cool slightly on the baking sheet.
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Transfer to a platter and serve warm.
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When done correctly, deep-frying produces tender and moist food with a light and crispy exterior.
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It is not hard to do, especially if you follow just a few important guidelines.
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To begin, the right tools make the job easier.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Monitor the temperature of the oil throughout the frying process and adjust the heat up or down as necessary to maintain the oils temperature.
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Second, use a large, deep pan such as a Dutch oven or a deep, straight-sided skillet.
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Last, a spiderbasically a long-handled straineror a slotted spoon makes it easy to add and remove food from the hot oil.
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A few techniques will help you produce the moist interiors and crispy exteriors that the best deep fryers are known for.
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First and most important, dont overcrowd the pan.
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The more cold food you add, the quicker the temperature of the oil will drop and the soggier the end result will be.
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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.
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Next, do not skimp on the amount of oil you use.
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The food youre frying needs room to move around without being crowded.
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Finally, make sure to remove any large bits of food or coating left in the oil between batches.
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This can burn and impart flavors to the food you are frying.
