Classic Empanadas Recipes

BASIC EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Make the filling: In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, cook meat until no longer pink, breaking it up into small pieces, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add onion and jalapenos; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder and tomatoes. Cook over medium until mixture has thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in cilantro. Let cool.
• Make the dough: In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingers, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add just enough cold water so dough comes together.
• Form empanadas. If desired, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, 2 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic; freeze in plastic bags.
• To bake fresh or frozen empanadas, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush tops with egg wash, avoiding crimped edges. Bake until golden brown, rotating sheets halfway through, 30 to 40 minutes.

CLASSIC EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until barely tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Once cool enough to handle, peel and cut into cubes. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet and cook onion and spring onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add ground beef. Cook and stir until beef is browned, about 5 minutes. Season with paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt.
• Remove beef mixture from heat, add potatoes and olives, and mix well. Stir in chopped hard-boiled eggs and set filling aside to cool, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and lightly grease with olive oil.
• Place an empanada pastry round on a flat surface and lightly wet edges with warm water. Put a large tablespoon of cooled filling in the center and fold pastry over. Seal edges by pressing with a fork. Repeat with remaining rounds and filling. Transfer empanadas to the prepared baking sheets and brush with beaten egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

ARGENTINEAN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Sift the flour, mix the sifted flour and salt in a large bowl.
• Mix in the solid margarine or butter with your fingers, (best to cross cut with two knives). The flour should have an even, coarse texture, with the margarine lumps no larger than a pea.
• Beat together the water, eggs, and vinegar in a bowl. Slowly mix into the flour mixture, until you have the desired consistency (it should not be too sticky, but still malleable).
• Place the mixture on a floured surface. Knead with the heel of your hand to bring the dough together.
• Cover the dough and allow to sit in a cool place for at least an hour.
• Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 of an inch (0.3 cm) thick. Cut into circles about 4-6 inches (10 - 15 cm) in diameter and lightly flour them.
• Heat some oil in a large saucepan. Mince the onions and garlic, and add to the pan. Cook until the onions become translucent.
• Add the ground meat. Break it up with with a spoon and cook, stirring until lightly browned. Drain off fat.
• Mix in the cumin, pepper flakes, and sugar. Adjust to taste.
• Chop the hard boiled eggs and halve the stuffed olives. Carefully mix into the meat mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF/200ºC.
• Stuff the empanada dough wrappers. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Dampen the outer perimeter of the dough.
• Fold over, forming a semicircle. Pinch a corner of the dough, and then fold that section onto itself. Pinch and pull out another 1/2-inch (1.2 cm) section and fold over, so that it slightly overlaps the first piece. Repeat along the length of the folded side, until you create a braided or twisted seal.
• If desired, brush the tops of the empanadas with beaten egg yolk for a nice golden color.
• Place the folded empanadas on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

BAKED MEAT-FILLED EMPANADAS (EMPANADAS AL HORNO)

Steps:

• Melt lard in a 10- to 12-inch skillet. Add onion and sauté on medium until it barely starts to color. Add beef. Cook until ingredients are lightly browned. Add salt and pepper to taste, cumin, paprika and hot sauce. Set aside. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Roll dough as thin as possible. Cut 6-inch circles. Scraps can be re-rolled one time. Place some meat mixture on one half of each circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border around filling. Top with a slice of egg, some olive pieces and a few raisins. Brush egg on empty side of circle, fold dough over to make a half-circle and crimp edges. Traditional squared empanadas can be made by folding an inch or so of each of the pointed ends of the half-circle over to make straight sides, then folding up the rounded bottom to square off the empanada.
• Arrange empanadas on a baking sheet. Squared empanadas should be placed with folded side down. Bake 10 minutes. Turn empanadas over, bake 5 minutes longer, until lightly browned on both sides. Allow to cool briefly before serving.