Chilean Empanadas with Beef

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.