How to make Meat pies (Beef Empanadas)
Have you ever tried an empanada? A light dough, quick to prepare, that can be easily filled with a variety of flavors. Let's learn this very old recipe that is currently very famous there in Argentina.
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups All-Purpose Flour 16.9 oz (480g)
- 2 tsp Salt 0.35 oz (10g)
- 5 tbsp Lard 3.5 oz (100g)
- 1 cup Warm Water 8.1 fl oz (240 mL)
Filling
- 1 tbsp Lard 0.7 oz (20g)
- 1.1 lb Ground Beef 17.6 oz (500g)
- 2 units Chopped Onions
- 1/3 cup White Raisins 1.5 oz (43g)
- Warm Water to cover
- 1/3 cup Sliced Green Olives 1.2 oz (33g)
- 1 tsp Salt 0.25 oz (7g)
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- Chopped Parsley to taste
Finishing
- 1 unit Yolk
- 1 tsp Water 0.2 fl oz (5 mL)
- Sugar
Instructions
Dough
- In a bowl, mix the flour and salt.
- Add the lard and warm water.
- Stir it with a spatula initially, then when it is possible, knead the dough with your hands until it no longer sticks to your hands.
- Work the dough on a clean surface for 2 minutes to make it smoother. It doesn’t need to be perfectly homogeneous.
- Wrap the dough and let it rest for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
FILLING
- In a skillet over high heat, add the lard and ground meat, and let it sauté until it's golden brown and crumbly.
- Add the chopped onions and keep sautéing until they're tender, about 6-7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, hydrate the raisins with warm water for 5 minutes, then discard the water.
- Once the onions are sautéed, add the hydrated raisins, green olives, and season with salt, oregano, ground cumin, and smoked paprika. Mix well.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate to cool.
- When the filling is cold, add the chopped parsley and mix once more.
Assembly
- Roll out the dough to a 1/12 inch (2mm) thickness and cut it into circles of your preferred size. Here, I used a 4-inch (10cm) diameter cutter.
- Place the filling in the center.
- Close the empanadas by crimping the edges.
- Fold the edges to create the empanada shape as shown in the photo.
- Place them on a greased baking sheet with a thin layer of butter.
- Mix the egg yolk with the water and brush it over the empanadas.
- Finish by sprinkling sugar on top. Don’t forget to make a few holes with a fork for the air to escape.
- Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F) and bake for about 12-15 minutes.
Notes
Valid to: 5 days at room temperature if stored in a sealed container in a dry and airy place. 10 days in the refrigerator if stored in a tightly closed container. 90 days in the freezer. To thaw, simply leave it in the refrigerator for about 6 hours, or at room temperature for 3 hours, or microwave for 30 to 50 seconds.
