Empanada(Meat Pie)
Submitted by jshafer
Empanada meat pies stuffed with seasoned ground beef, hard-boiled egg, raisins, and green olives. A Latin American hand pie that fries or bakes for crispy, golden hand-held meals.
YIELD
5 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
45 minREADY
75 minThese empanadas bring the classic Latin American hand pie to life with a savory-sweet beef filling that’s distinctly traditional. Ground beef gets cooked with onion and garlic, then folded with chopped hard-boiled eggs, raisins, green olives, and a pinch of red pepper for the signature contrast of salty, sweet, savory, and warming all in one bite.
The combination of raisins and olives in beef filling is the unmistakable signature of empanadas across Argentina, Chile, and beyond. The raisins plump as they cook, releasing sweetness against the briny olives and rich meat for a flavor profile that’s centuries old and irreplaceable.
You get two cooking choices. Deep frying gives you the bubbly, blistered, crackly crust of street-vendor empanadas. Baking at 400°F (200°C) gives a flakier, lighter result with much less oil. Both are traditional, just different regional preferences.
Pro Tips
- Cool the filling completely before assembling, hot filling melts the dough and creates seam failures during cooking.
- Pinch the edges firmly with a fork or use the classic repulgue (decorative fold) to seal, leaks during frying are messy and dangerous.
- Brush the tops with beaten egg before baking for that glossy golden finish.
- Don’t overstuff, about 2 tablespoons of filling per 5-inch round is the right ratio for properly sealed empanadas.
- Make ahead and freeze unbaked, fry or bake straight from frozen with just a few extra minutes.
Variations
- Add a teaspoon of ground cumin and smoked paprika to the filling for deeper Argentinian flavor.
- Swap raisins for chopped dried apricots or currants for variation.
- Try chicken empanadas by substituting cooked shredded chicken for the beef.
Ingredients
Directions
Fry onions in cooking oil until soft.
Add minced garlic and brown lightly.
Drain oil.
Add ground beef to onions and sauté until meat turns a light brown.
Add chopped olives, eggs, salt and black pepper, raisins, pinch of red pepper and milk.
Allow to simmer (uncovered) over low heat for 5 mins.
Pastry dough: Any good grade of commercial pie crust mix will give satisfactory results or use your own favorite recipe .
Roll out dough ⅛ inch thickness and cut with a 5 inch cutter.
Place meat filling on one side of the dough.
Fold the other side over the filling and pinch the edges.
Deep fry in hot cooking oil until crisp and brown or bake in a 400℉ (200℃) oven until the crust is a golden brown.
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