Argentinean empanadas recipe

Argentinean empanada recipes involve all sorts of wonderful combinations, local ingredients in each region largely determining what goes into the filling. Here we have a beef one kicked up with paprika, cumin and red pepper.

For the pastry:
At most Latin food stores you can find frozen empanada dough discs, which are more expensive but also more convenient. Making dough from scratch doesn't taste much different but is obviously more labor-intensive. You can also customize the ingredients by adding spices and herbs to compliment or contrast with the flavors of the filling.

For around twenty medium empanadas you'll need:

•     3 cups of all purpose flour
•     ¼ teaspoon of salt
•     6 oz of unsalted butter cut into 12 pieces, fresh out of the fridge
•     1 egg
•    4-5 tablespoons of water
•     1 egg
•     Egg wash: 1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water or milk

Method:
1.    Combine the flour and salt in a bowl or food processor.
2.    Add the butter, egg and water and mix until it forms into a single lump of dough. No especially vigorous kneading is required. 
3.    Roll into a ball and place in the fridge for about half-an-hour.
4.    Roll out the dough on a cutting board and cut out discs around a small plate or with an appropriately-sized cutter.
5.    They can be used immediately or refrigerated/frozen for later.

For the filling:
You'll need:

•     ½ cup shortening
•     2 onions, chopped
•     2 pound lean ground beef
•     3 tsps Hungarian sweet paprika
•     1 tsp hot paprika
•     2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
•     2 tsp ground cumin (preferably grind it yourself)
•    1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
•     ½ cup raisins
•     ½ cup pitted green olives, chopped
•     3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
•     salt to taste

Method
1.    Brown the meat in a skillet.
2.    Place meat in a dish add salt to taste, cumin and vinegar. Allow meat to cool.
3.    In a sauté pan melt the shortening and add the chopped onions. Cook the onions until translucent.
4.    Remove from the heat and stir in both kinds of paprika, the crushed red pepper flakes, and season to taste.
5.    Mix and add the meat to the onion mixture.
6.    Mix well and place on a flat to dish to cool and firm up.


To make the empanadas:
1.    Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.    Spoon some filling into the middle of each pastry disc.
3.    Fold the dough in half over the top of the filling, forming a pocket. Squeeze as much air out as possible and glue the seal with the egg wash. Crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers for a traditional look.
4.    Glaze the crust with egg wash.
5.    Grease or line a baking tray with wax paper and arrange the sealed empanadas.
6.    Bake for fifteen to twenty minutes or until golden brown.
7.    Serve hot.