Argentinean Empanadas
Empanadas are very popular as a street food in South America. Essentially, it is a crescent-shaped pastry with a filling, which may vary greatly by region or preference. Empanadas can be fried or baked, and may use a variety of fillings from meat or seafood to fruit or cheese. While this recipe uses the filling most popular in Buenos Aires, you can fill an empanada with virtually anything you please, so experiment!
Tip: A recipe for empanada dough is given here, but they can be found in the frozen pastry section of many specialty or Hispanic groceries. If you are in a rush or just feeling lazy, frozen puff pastry can serve as an adequate substitute.
Note: To the reviewer who said the flavor did not seem authentic, you probably haven’t had meat empanadas from Argentina then! I am Argentine, and the ground beef empanadas you find there always have cumin. Other cultures may have different fillings.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1–2 teaspoons salt
- ¾ cup cold margarine or butter, cut into small cubes
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
Meat Filling
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey or chicken for a lower-fat variation)
- 4 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 cup stuffed green olives
- Handful raisins (optional)
- 1 large onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2–3 tablespoons cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Sift the flour and mix with salt in a large bowl.- Blend in margarine or butter with your fingers or two knives. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs.
- Beat water, eggs, and vinegar. Add gradually to flour mixture until malleable but not sticky.
- Transfer dough to floured surface and knead to combine. Let rest for at least an hour.
- Roll out dough to ⅛ inch (0.3 cm) thickness. Cut into 4–6 inch (10–15 cm) circles and dust lightly with flour.
- Heat oil in saucepan. Sauté minced onions and garlic until translucent.
- Add ground meat and cook until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Season with cumin, chili flakes, and sugar. Adjust to taste.
- Stir in chopped eggs and halved olives. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF (200ºC).
- Place 2–3 tbsp of filling in the center of each dough circle. Dampen edges.
- Fold into half-moons and seal by braiding the edge.
- Optional: brush tops with beaten egg yolk for golden color.
- Place on greased sheet and bake 15–20 minutes until golden brown.
Want to experience authentic Argentinean empanadas straight from the source? We invite you to visit our lodge and taste the best empanadas Argentina has to offer during your wingshooting adventure!
Source: Adapted from Sephardi Kitchen – www.food.com
