Empanadas

filled with beef, egg, olives and sultanas

(makes 12-14)

I think empanadas are like Asian curry puffs, everyone's fighting over who invented it and every country has their own delicious variation. I say, why fight when you can try them all! I've been heavily influenced by my Argentinian ex-flat mate so i have believed her all along, but now my half-Peruvian husband seems to be painting a different picture... Anyhow, they are wonderful warm pockets of juicy wonder and a fantastic invention and i love them! :)  

I can't take credit for making the dough as i don't quite have the patience for this, but Paul did a great job! If you're trying to do a bit of preparation the day before, we made the meat mix the night before and the dough first thing in the morning, and made it just in perfect timing for lunch! They definitely take a bit of time and effort but i guess that's all part of the love!

Prep time (dough): 20 min + 2hrs (waiting time)

Prep time (filling): 20 min (can be done the night before)

Assembly time: 30 min

Cooking time: 20 min (or 40 min if need to do one batch at a time)

Ingredients

The Dough (from Bourke St Bakery cookbook):

450g plain flour

7g salt

210 ml water, chilled

1 tsp vinegar

1 egg

Egg wash (for brushing); 

1 egg

100mL milk

pinch of salt

The filling

1 brown onion (100g)

100g spring onions (about 1 large bunch)

2 cloves garlic

500g beef mince

80-100mL beef stock

1/4 tsp aji chilli powder (or curry powder if nothing else)

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp ground cloves

80g black olives, pitted

80g sultanas

2 eggs

cumin powder

Method

1. Prepare the dough by putting the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the water, vinegar, egg and softened butter in the middle. Mix well with a spoon until well incorporated and combined.

2. Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 minutes, then set aside for 5 minutes so the dough can rest.

3. Knead for a further 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover in a plastic glad wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

4. Meanwhile, cut the garlic, onion and spring onions.

5. In a large saucepan, sauté the garlic, onions and spring onions for 3 minutes, then add in the beef, breaking it up. After 3 minutes, add in the beef stock and cook for another 3 minutes until soft. Season with chilli powder, paprika, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper. Cool and refrigerate.

6. Boil the eggs, cool and cut up into small pieces. Cut up the olives. Mix in with the beef mix and add in the sultanas.

The filling!

7. When dough is ready, preheat the oven to 230˚C.

8. Roll the dough out into a 30x75 cm rectangle about 2mm thick. Using a 14cm diameter pastry cutter or similar lid or plate (we used a saucepan lid), cut out 10 circles. Re-roll the offcuts and cut out another 2 to 4 circles until you have no more dough left.

NB. The more times you re-roll the dough, the more tough it may get.

9. To fold the empanadas, put a generous amount of filling (2-3 tsp) in the middle and sprinkle with cumin. Fold one half over, sealing it with a 5mm border from the outside edge. Pick up the outer layer, fold it in and press down with one finger nail. Move 5mm over and pick up the outer layer again, fold and press in again until you have gone all the way around then press in the last corner. Place on a baking paper-lined tray.

Key is to leave the 5mm border so you have room to fold into rather than squashing the fillings!

10. Brush the empanadas with the egg wash then bake for 20 minutes or until golden, turning the tray at 10 minutes.

A bit of juice may come out, but that is all good!

Serve hot!