Baked empanada recipe

You've got two choices when it comes to cooking empanadas: baking or deep frying. Baking is, of course, the healthier option and gives a more "pie"-like texture to the crust. Deep frying is, for me anyway, preferable for sweet empanadas, but the decision is, of course, entirely up to you.

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:

•     2 lb ground beef
•     3 small onions, chopped
•     1 large can tomato sauce
•    Salt and pepper
•     5 tsp Grandma's Spanish seasoning
•     2 tsp cumin powder

Method:
1.    Brown beef and onion.
2.    Add tomato sauce and spices. Simmer 1/2 hour.
3.    Add approximately 2 tablespoons flour and cook to thicken
4.    Let the mixture cool, as hot filling will loosen up the pastry and make it harder to work.

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.