This authentic Argentinian empanadas recipe is for an iconic Argentina food of pure deliciousness wrapped up in a pocket of dough. Filled with a mixture of ground beef, green olives, hard boiled eggs and spices, simply bake until golden brown. This recipe is for the best Argentina empanadas you’ve ever tasted and ones the entire family will love.
½poundbeeflean ground beef or finely chopped sirloin
½poundonionsabout 1 to 1-1/2 medium white onion sliced
¼cuplard or butter
1tbsppaprika
½tbspcumin
½tbspchili peppers
1tbspfresh oregano
1Hard boiled egg
6green olives chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
For Assembling
1eggseparate the white from the yolk; use the white for sealing and the yolk for glazing
Instructions
Instructions For Empanadas Dough
To make the dough Argentine style, add the salt to the water and bring it to a boil in a small saucepan
When the water boils, add the lard or butter and stir until it melts
Pour into a large bowl
Cool to room temperature
Once cooled, add the flour gradually while mixing with your hands continuously until the dough forms a ball
Knead the dough by hand onto a clean surface with flour until the dough is non sticky and smooth. Add more flour as needed
Set aside to rest while preparing the filling for at least 30 mins to 24 hours
Instructions For Making the Filling
Combine the beef, paprika, chili pepper, cumin, salt and pepper in a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together with your hands. Set aside until ready to use
Melt the lard in a large frying pan or sauté pan, add the onions and salt, cook until the onions are soft
Add the meat mixture to the onions and cook on medium heat until the meat is done, stir frequently
Let the meat mixture cool down, and then mix in chopped oregano
Roll the dough using a rolling pin or a pasta machine onto a floured surface to get a rectangle shape of about 7 inch by 14 inches, ⅛ inch thick; 18cmx 36cm and 3mm thick
Cut empanada discs about 3 inches or 7.5cm using a cookie cutter or a small pyrex bowl
Make about 6 circles, save the scraps and use them for the remaining dough
Repeat with the second half of the dough
Assemble the empanadas by adding a tablespoon of the meat mixture on the center of the empanada disc, add a slice of egg and olive.
Brush the edges of the empanada discs with the egg white to seal it
Make the empanada fold, called repulgue. Seal the edges gently with your fingers, twist and fold the edges of the empanadas with your fingers until you make a full spiral pattern on the edge.
Brush the top of the empanadas with the egg yolk
Bake for about 20 minutes until brown on top. Turn the empanadas around and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Serve hot
Notes
While making the dough, use the traditional Argentina seasoning of boiling the water with salt, called salmuera.