Beef empanadas
This dough is easy to work with and comes together in seconds using a good processor. While I really encourage you to make the dough, you'll still get an excellent empanada fix making this with store-bought puff pastry or shortcrust pastry.
Ingredients
EMPANADA SHORTCRUST PASTRY:
- ▢ 2 1/2 cups plain/all-purpose flour
- ▢ 175g/ 12 tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into 1 cm / 1/2″ cubes
- ▢ 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- ▢ 1 egg yolk
- ▢ 1/2 cup warm milk full fat (30 sec microwave)
EMPANADA FILLING:
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- ▢ 1/2 onion finely chopped
- ▢ 1 garlic cloves minced
- ▢ 300g/10 oz beef mince ground beef
- ▢ 120g/4 oz chorizo
- ▢ 2 tsp tomato paste
- ▢ 1 tsp fresh thyme finely chopped
- ▢ 1/2 tsp EACH dried oregano cumin, paprika
- ▢ 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- ▢ 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- ▢ 3/4 cup chicken stock/broth low sodium
- ▢ 1/2 cup tomato passata sub US tomato sauce or crushed tomato
- ▢ 150g/5oz potato peeled, cut into 8mm/ 1/3" cubes (~1 cup)
- ▢ 1/3 cup green onion finely sliced
OTHER
- 2 hard boiled eggs 9 minutes using this method
- ▢ 1/4 cup green olives roughly chopped
- ▢ 2 eggs separated, yolks whisked (for sealing and brushing pastry)
DIPPING SAUCES:
- ▢ Empanada sauce
- ▢ Other options – ketchup ketchup + sriracha, pink sauce, taco sauce, salsa dip
Instructions
EMPANADA FILLING:
- Blitz chorizo – Roughly chop chorizo into 1.5cm / 1/2" pieces. Blitz using a stick blender until it becomes a paste (Note 1)
- Sauté aromatics – Heat oil in a large non stick pan over high heat. Cook onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
- Cook meat – Add chorizo and cook for 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until you no longer see raw beef. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Then add everything else except green onion, then stir.
- Cook 15 min – Bring to a simmer then lower heat so it's simmering gently. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then. Goal – juicy but not watery filling, with cooked potato.
- Cool – Stir through green onion. Transfer to bowl and fully cool before using (~ 2 hours).
EMPANADA SHORTCRUST PASTRY:
- Blitz dough – Whisk milk and yolk in a small jug. Pulse flour, salt and butter in a food processor until the butter becomes fine crumbs – largest lumps no bigger than peas (~ 4 to 6 times). Add egg-milk mixture, then blitz on low until it comes together into a ball of dough – about 10 seconds. (Note 2 for hand method)
- Chill 30 min – Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, then bring together into a smooth log ~20cm/8" long. Cut in half, shape into 2cm / 0/8" thick round discs. Wrap in cling wrap then refrigerate 30 minutes (or overnight – Note 3).
- Cut rounds – Place one chilled disc on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to 3 mm / 0.1" thickness. Cut 15 cm/6" rounds (I use a bowl), or other size as desired (Note 3). Keep covered in the fridge, stacked on paper, as you continue to roll and cut. You should get 10 or 11 rounds.
MAKE EMPANADAS:
- Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan).
- Filling – Filling should be cold but spreadable (Note 4). Place 3 tablespoons (55g) of filling on the top half of a round of pastry. Spread flat in a half-moon shape, leaving a 1.5cm / 0.6" border. Sprinkle with olive and egg.
- Seal – Brush edge with egg white, fold to enclose, pressing out air and sealing the edge. Optional: Do empanada pleats – see step photos in post or video at 3 min 30 sec. Alternatively, crimp with fork or leave plain.
- Bake 20 min – Place empanadas on 2 baking trays. Brush with egg yolk. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown all over and crispy on the base.
- Serve hot with dipping sauce of choice – my favourite is the homemade Empanada Sauce!
Notes
Empanada sauce
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Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan).
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Roast tomato 20 min – Toss the tomatoes and garlic with the olive oil in a bowl. Place the tomatoes on the tray, cut side up, then roast for 20 minutes.
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Roast garlic 15 min – Add garlic to the tray and roast for another 15 minutes until the edges of the tomato are browned. Remove from oven and cool on tray.
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Blitz – Transfer to a container that just fits the head of a stick blender. Add all remaining ingredients except the green onion. Blitz until smooth – about 5 seconds. Add the green onion and blitz until it's finely chopped.
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Serve with empanadas – or corn chips, vegetable sticks, bread!