Description
Savory beef filling seasoned with paprika and cumin, encased in a flaky homemade dough. Perfect for a casual get-together or a weekend lunch.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) bread flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 lbs (227 g) or 1 lbs (454 g) lard or rendered beef fat
- Warm water
- 2 oz (57 g) rendered beef fat
- 2 lbs (907 g) onion (diced)
- 2 lbs (907 g) beef (such as sirloin tip, knife cut into small cubes)
- Cumin and sweet or hot paprika
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- Oregano or an herb blend
- 1 leek (only the white part, sliced into rounds)
- 9 oz (227 g) spring onions (chopped)
- Salt and pepper
- Vegetable oil (such as sunflower, for frying)
Instructions
- For the filling:
- Heat fat in a deep sauté pan and sauté onions over medium heat until translucent.
- Add meat, cumin, paprika, sugar, salt, pepper, and oregano; cook for 30 minutes.
- Stir in leeks and spring onions; cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat, adjust seasoning, cover, and cool completely before refrigerating for 24 hours.
- For the dough:
- Combine flour and salt; form a volcano on a clean, dry surface.
- Add lard or beef fat to the center and incorporate into the flour, slowly adding water until dough is smooth.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Remove dough from the refrigerator and knead, rotating the dough four or five times.
- Wrap the dough again and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a 4 mm (about ? inch) thickness.
- Cut discs with an 8-cm (3-inch) pastry cutter.
- Place a tablespoon of meat filling in the center of each disc, fold in half, and crimp the edges with a fork.
- In a heavy pot, fry the empanadas in hot oil until the bottom sides are golden brown; turn and fry until the other sides are golden brown.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place on absorbent paper.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- To ensure a richer flavor, brown the beef cubes before adding them to the sauté pan.
- For easier crimping, use a fork dipped in water to seal the empanada edges.
- Freeze uncooked empanadas on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Latin American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 empanada
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 50