A great recipe can become memorable and that good experience can convince you to cook to replicate that “omg” dish you had in the past. This is why I want to share this empanada recipe I learned to make in Argentinian while I was filming my cooking shows a few years ago. I have a big obsession for traditional flavors, enjoy the real flavor of an Argentinian empanada.
What you need (it seems like a lot but is easy):
- 12-15 empanada dough disk for baking (flaky-puff pastry style)
- 1 pound of ground beef (90/10)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 med garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 med white onion, small diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, small diced
- 1 boiled egg, small diced
- 15 raisins (one per empanada)
- 5 olives, sliced
- A splash of Malbec or similar (1/2 cup to be honest)
- 1 tbsp of fresh Italian parsley
- 1/2 tbsp of regular paprika (not Spanish)
- 1/4 tbsp of dry oregano
- 1/4 tbsp of cumin
Salt & black pepper to taste
What you have to do:
In a large pan in medium high temperature, add olive oil, garlic, onion, pepper and sauté for 3 minutes. Then add the meat and stir frequently for 3-5 minutes. Add the splash of red wine to the pan (and a sip for the cook) and wait until it is reduced (1 min), stir frequently. Add the paprika, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper, reduce the temperature to low and cook for 10 more minutes. Add the olives and the parsley at the end, taste and then set aside.
To assemble the empanadas brush the edges of the empanada discs with water, that helps seal the empanada. Then add a spoonful of the meat mixture on the center of each empanada disc, add piece of egg and a raisin. Carefully, fold the empanada discs and seal the edges gently with your fingers, then twist the edges to give a nice traditional touch or if you prefer, use a fork to press down and seal the empanadas.
Let the empanadas rest in the fridge (covered) until ready to bake (up to 3 days). Lightly brush the empanadas with the egg wash; this will give them a nice golden glow when they bake. Pre-heat the oven to 375F bake on baking sheet with parchment for 20 minutes or until the dough is fully cooked and golden.
Serve with Malbec or Bonarda and enjoy!
Cheers!
