Beef Empanadas

I have my Peruvian friend Elizabeth to thank for this empanada recipe. She delivered a box of them shortly after I had Clara, and we all became instant fans of the popular meat pie. Of course I had to learn how to make them, and so my education took place in Liz’s beautiful kitchen under her patient tutelage.

Empanadas are a near-perfect homemade convenience food. They transport well, are easy to eat and are very filling—ideal lunch box material, if you ask me. We adore the traditional filling of ground beef, hard-boiled eggs, olives, onions and seasonings (we tend to leave out the raisins), but empanadas can be as versatile as you like. Try them stuffed with chicken and green olives, spiced pork and potatoes, braised lentils, or even apples for a dessert variety.

Break up the work by prepping the dough and the filling, chilling both overnight and assembling the empanadas the next day. The kids and I have fun rolling and cutting the dough, but if you’re short on time you can buy rounds of empanada dough at specialty grocery stores. Many hands make light work, and we all pitch in on a big batch and freeze the extras for school lunches.

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Beef Empanadas

Servings 36 Empanadas

Author The Simple Bites Kitchen

Ingredients

Dough

• 3 cups 750 mL all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) raw cane sugar
• ½ teaspoon (2 mL) sea salt
• 1¼ cups (300 mL) cold unsalted butter
• ¾ cup (175 mL) water
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) white vinegar
• 2 eggs beaten with 1 teaspoon (5 mL) water, for egg wash

Beef Filling

• 3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium red onions chopped
• 2 large white onions chopped
• 2 medium cloves garlic minced
• 2 pounds (900 g) lean ground beef
• 2 large tomatoes chopped
• 1 tsp (5 mL) fine sea salt
• ½ tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch green onions finely chopped

Additional fillings

• 2 hard-boiled eggs chopped
• ¼ cup (60 mL) Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

Instructions

Make the dough

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar and salt. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the cold butter into the flour, then toss with the flour to coat. Attach the paddle hook and mix on low speed for 1 minute to blend the butter into the flour.
• Stir together the water and vinegar. With the mixer on low speed, add the water and vinegar mixture to the flour a few teaspoons at a time, until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass. Stop the mixer. Gather the dough together, divide in half and shape each into a ball. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Make the beef filling

• Heat olive oil in your largest heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the red and white onions and cook until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic and beef and break the meat into small mince using a wooden spoon. Increase heat to medium and brown the beef with the onions for an additional 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Tumble in the chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper; stir the filling very well. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the liquid has evaporated. Turn off heat and stir in green onions. Spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet to cool completely. Refrigerate if you have space.

Assemble the empanadas

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Roll out one ball of the dough to 1/16-inch (2 mm) thickness. Using a 4½-inch (11 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out 18 to 20 circles. (You may find it easier to pinch off golf ball–size pieces of dough and roll them individually.) Place a generous tablespoon of filling in the centre of each dough disc. Top with a small piece each of hard-boiled egg and olive. Brush the edges with the egg wash. Fold one edge over the other, keeping the filling tucked into the centre, and press the edges together to form a half moon. You can seal the edges by pressing them with a fork, or you can make a traditional empanada twist by folding the edges over and crimping in place (this takes practice!).
• Place empanadas on a baking sheet, about an inch (2.5 cm) apart. Brush with egg wash. Bake for about 40 minutes, until deep golden brown. Repeat with remaining ball of dough and filling. Also re-roll any scraps of dough and fill. Enjoy baked empanadas hot and cool the remainder on a wire rack.

Notes

TIP: You can freeze the empanadas before baking them. Place them on a baking sheet without touching each other and freeze until solid. Transfer to freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 year. To cook, place frozen empanadas on a baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Bake at 350°F (180°C) until golden brown, about 50 minutes.

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