Chilean Empanadas with Beef

Name: Chilean Empanadas with Beef
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 5
Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of oil; 2 lb of chopped beef (top sirloin is a good choice); 1/2 teaspoon of paprika; 1/2 teaspoon of dry oregano; 1 teaspoon of salt; Pepper to taste; 1/2 teaspoon of cumin; 1/2 cup of water; 1 large onion chopped into small cubes; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup of milk; 1/2 cup of warm water; 2 teaspoons of table salt; 1 lb all-purpose flour; 2 egg yolks; 3 oz of melted butter; 20 black olives; 40 raisins; 3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered; 1 egg, beaten (to brush on empanadas)

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Prep 1 hr 30 min
Total 2 hr 0 min
Servings 5

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by: Tablespoon Kitchens

Updated Sep 26, 2017

Ingredients

For the beef filling:

2 tablespoons of oil
2 lb of chopped beef (top sirloin is a good choice)
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of dry oregano
1 teaspoon of salt
Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 cup of water
1 large onion chopped into small cubes
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

For the dough:

1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup of warm water
2 teaspoons of table salt
1 lb all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
3 oz of melted butter

For the stuffing:

20 black olives
40 raisins
3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
1 egg, beaten (to brush on empanadas)

Steps

1

Beef: In a large frying pan, heat oil at medium to high heat. Sauté the meat for 3 minutes without mixing. Turn over and brown for another 3 minutes. Add paprika, oregano, salt, pepper and cumin, and mix well. Add water and the chopped onion. Cook for 30 minutes on low heat. Add flour and mix well, modifying the seasoning if you like. Turn off heat; leave to cool and refrigerate.
2

Dough: In a small bowl, combine milk, water and salt to form a brine. Stir until salt is completely dissolved. In a separate large bowl, combine the flour and egg yolks, and mix using a fork. Add butter and knead dough for about 10 minutes while adding the brine until it is smooth and elastic. If dough is too dry and you need more moisture, add a little bit more water and milk, but no salt.
3

Preheat oven to 350°F.
4

Separate dough into 10 portions and cover with a clean kitchen cloth. Working each portion individually, shape into a ball and with a rolling pin smooth out the dough to about the size of a salad plate (8 inches). Fill each round of dough with 2 tablespoons of beef, a slice of hard-boiled egg, 2 black olives and 4 raisins.
5

Lightly brush the edges with milk, press firmly and fold. Make sure to release trapped air before closing. Brush the top of the empanadas with egg batter and water before putting them in the oven.
6

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until browned, keeping a close eye on them. If they bubble up or swell, poke dough with a toothpick so that they don’t come undone or open up. Serve hot. Yields 5 servings of 2 empanadas each.

Expert Tips

tip 1
Always try to prepare the beef filling the day before.
tip 2
If raisins are too dry, soak them in boiling water for 10 minutes before using.
tip 3
I don’t recommend that you stretch the dough and cut several circles at one time because you will have too many, and dough will get tougher to roll. With these techniques you can be sure that your empanadas will look (and taste) good with the right elasticity.
tip 4
Use different folds for different fillings - for example to differentiate which empanadas have raisins and which don’t.

Nutrition Information

354.7 Calories, 14.6g Total Fat, 22.7g Protein, 33.1g Total Carbohydrate, 2.3g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 354.7

Total Fat: 14.6g; 22%

Saturated Fat: 6.2g; 31%

Cholesterol: 124.0mg; 41%

Sodium: 698.0mg; 29%

Potassium: 391.7mg; 11%

Total Carbohydrate: 33.1g; 11%

Dietary Fiber: 1.5g; 6%

Sugars: 2.3g

Protein: 22.7g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin C: 1.70%; 2%

Calcium: 4.70%; 5%

Iron: 21.50%; 22%

Exchanges:

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

There are many different types of empanadas, and the truth is there isn’t one I’ve tasted that I didn’t like. I really like Colombian empanadas and the Argentinian ones ¡qué decir! But these empanadas made by my abuelita on her special kneading board are the first I ever tasted. Chilean beef empanadas are very simple, consisting mainly of chopped (not ground) beef, with a touch of onion and other seasonings, but the combination of the dough, black olives, hard-boiled eggs and raisins, really gives it a special sabrosura. Enjoy!