Beef Empanadas: Baked Pastry Turnovers with Spiced Filling

Ingredients and substitutions

Choosing your ingredients

Choose ground beef with some fat, such as 80% lean. The fat keeps the filling juicy inside the pastry, while very lean beef turns dry and crumbly. Spoon off extra fat after browning, but leave a little. Two medium onions look like a lot, but they shrink and give the filling its moisture and sweetness.

The egg and olives are optional, and both appear in regional styles that Wikipedia describes. Olives are salty, so taste the filling after you stir them in and add salt only if needed.

For a quick version, use 12 store-bought empanada discs, about 5 inches (13 cm) wide. They save about an hour. Check the package, because some discs are made for baking and others for frying. Thaw frozen discs in the refrigerator and keep them covered.

The homemade dough is plain: flour, salt, fat and water. Cold butter gives a tender, slightly flaky crust, and lard works too. Rub the fat in until you see pea-sized bits, which melt in the oven and leave small pockets. Do not taste the raw dough, since raw flour can carry bacteria.

Possible substitutions

• Homemade dough: 12 store-bought empanada discs, about 5 inches (13 cm), thawed if frozen. Choose ones labeled for baking and skip the dough steps.
• Ground beef: Ground pork or lamb, cooked to 160°F (71°C). Ground turkey or chicken must reach 165°F (74°C).
• Butter: The same weight of lard or vegetable shortening.
• Green olives: Leave them out, or use 2 tablespoons (20 g) of raisins for a sweeter filling like the La Rioja style.
• Hard-boiled eggs: Leave them out. The filling is still good without egg.
• Beef broth: Water, plus an extra pinch of salt.

Step-by-step method

1. Make the dough and let it rest. Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the pieces are the size of peas. Add the water and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for 1 to 2 minutes until it is smooth and no longer sticky. Wrap it and chill for 30 to 45 minutes while you cook the filling.
2. Cook the onions. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of the salt and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft and see-through and just starting to turn pale gold. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until you can smell it. Do not let the garlic brown.
3. Brown the beef and add the spices. Add the beef and break it into small crumbles with a spoon. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until no pink remains and the meat has browned in spots. It should reach at least 160°F (71°C). Spoon off extra fat. Stir in the cumin, paprika, oregano, pepper flakes, salt and pepper, then the tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Reduce the filling, then cool it completely. Pour in the broth and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the pan is nearly dry and the filling looks moist but not wet. Spread it on a rimmed tray and cool for 30 to 45 minutes, then chill for 15 minutes. It should feel cold. Stir in the eggs and olives. Warm filling melts the dough and makes the empanadas leak. Refrigerate within 2 hours.
5. Roll and cut the dough. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each into a round about 5 inches (13 cm) wide and 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Cut the edges with a bowl or a large cutter to make even circles. Stack the rounds with parchment between them, and keep them covered. Dough that dries out cracks when you fold it.
6. Fill and seal. Set 2 to 3 generous tablespoons of cold filling in the center of each round. Dip a finger in water and wet the edge. Fold the dough over into a half circle and press from the filling outward to push out air. Seal with the tines of a fork, or fold the edge over itself in small twists for a repulgue. The seam should be tight.
7. Brush and bake. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the middle. Place the empanadas on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Brush the tops with the egg wash and poke each once with a fork. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the bottoms are browned. Rotate the sheet halfway through.
8. Rest and serve. Cool the empanadas on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes. The filling stays very hot well after they leave the oven, so a first bite right away can burn. Serve warm, with lemon wedges or a simple herb sauce if you like. Eat within a few hours, or follow the storage notes below.

Storage and reheating

Let baked empanadas cool, then refrigerate them within 2 hours of baking, or within 1 hour if the room is above 90°F (32°C). They keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the center is steaming hot, 165°F (74°C). A microwave works but softens the crust.

Unbaked empanadas freeze well. Place them on a tray in a single layer and freeze for about 2 hours, until firm, then move them to a freezer bag. They keep for about 3 months. Do not thaw them. Brush with egg wash and bake from frozen at 400°F (200°C) for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is golden and the center is hot. Leftover cooked filling also freezes for about 3 months.

Common mistakes

• Filling with warm meat. Warm filling softens the dough and makes seams split in the oven. Cool the filling until it feels cold.
• Overfilling. A mound of filling stretches the dough and pops the seam. Use 2 to 3 generous tablespoons for a 5-inch (13 cm) round, and leave a clean edge of at least 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) for sealing.
• A wet filling. Juice soaks into the base and makes the pastry soggy. Simmer the filling until the pan is nearly dry, and drain the olives well before chopping them.
• Sealing over grease. Fat or juice on the rim keeps the dough from sticking. Wipe the edge clean, wet it with a fingertip of water and press firmly from the filling outward.
• Pulling them too early. A pale crust is usually underbaked and will turn tough as it cools. Wait for deep golden color on the top and brown bottoms, then rest the pan for 5 to 10 minutes.