Empanadas – ah, the succulence of these meat-filled pastries from Argentina cannot be matched (especially in my recipe!). 😀
An empanada is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling, common in Latin American and Filipino cultures.
The name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, and literally translates as “enbreaded”, that is, wrapped or coated in bread. They are made by folding dough over a filling, which may consist of meat, cheese, corn, or other ingredients, and then cooking the resulting turnover, either by baking or frying.
They resemble turnovers from many other cuisines and cultures, including the pasty from the British Isles, the samosa from the Central and South Asia, or the pirozhki from Russia.
Empanadas trace back their origins to the northwest region of Spain, Galicia. A cookbook published in Catalan in 1520, Llibre del Coch by Robert de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood in the recipes for Catalan, Italian, French, and Arabian food.
In Argentina, these are often served during parties and festivals as a starter or main course. Shops specialize in freshly made empanadas, with many flavors and fillings.
During Lent and Easter, empanadas de Cuaresma fillings with fish (usually dogfish or tuna) are popular.
I make my Argentine version in the style of Córdoba province – baked, not fried and with a filling of meat, onion, olives and raisins amongst other items of delicious character such as eggs, potatoes and peppers.
Citizens, there isn’t much to add beyond that – try this recipe and set your tastebuds to DEFCON 2! Serve with salsa and a nice salad for a wonderful meal anytime!
Battle on – The Generalissimo
PrintThe Hirshon Argentine Empanadas
- Total Time: 0 hours
Ingredients
- Dough (Makes about 12):
- ¾ cup vegetable oil (about)
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- 2 tsp salt
- Pinch paprika
- ***
- Filling:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, peeled and minced
- ½ small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely diced
- ½ chicken bouillon cube
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¾ lb. boneless beef shoulder, finely diced
- Salt
- 1 small russet potato, peeled, finely diced, and boiled
- ⅓ cup raisins
- 8 green Spanish olives, pitted and chopped
- 3 scallions, trimmed and chopped
- 1 hard-cooked egg, peeled and chopped
Instructions
- Mix together flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour. Put paprika in well, then add a small amount of the oil and stir with your fingertips to make a wet paste. Pour in remaining liquid while using your hand to work the flour into the liquid.
- Continue to work dry ingredients into wet ingredients with your hands to form a wet, oily dough. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate until dough is chilled, about 2 hours.
- For the filling, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers, bouillon cube, paprika, red pepper flakes, white pepper, and cumin, and cook until onions are soft, about 7 minutes.
- Add beef; season to taste with salt, and cook, stirring, until meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer filling to a large bowl and set aside to cool.
- Once filling has cooled, add potatoes, raisins, olives, scallions, and egg. Adjust seasonings. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Preheat over to 400 degree F. Tear off pieces of dough and with your hands roll into about 12 golf ball-size balls. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough balls on a lightly floured surface into 5-inch circles.
- To assemble empanadas, place about 3 tbsp of filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold over and press the edges firmly to seal, starting from the middle and working out to the edges. Curve the ends of the empanada to form a crescent.
- To make the rope edges, pinch ½ inch of one corner edge between your thumb and index finger and fold edge over into itself. Pinch and pull another ½ inch of the edge and fold again, making a rough triangle over the first fold. Repeat this folding around edge, pressing each fold tight. Place empanadas on a cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
Nutrition
- Calories: 1005.53 kcal
- Sugar: 9.23 g
- Sodium: 775.96 mg
- Fat: 60.21 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.51 g
- Trans Fat: 0.49 g
- Carbohydrates: 87.06 g
- Fiber: 4.56 g
- Protein: 29.52 g
- Cholesterol: 85.86 mg
