Empanada

The empanada is a delightful pastry filled with savory or sweet ingredients, often associated with South American cuisine but enjoyed worldwide. Here’s a simple recipe for you:

Ingredients:

• 200g of ready-to-use empanada dough (or make your own by mixing flour, salt, and butter)
• 150g ground beef, mixed with onions, garlic, and spices (salt, pepper, cumin, paprika)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, finely diced
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Filling: In a pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Add minced onions and garlic; sauté until soft. Stir in chopped hard-boiled eggs and bell pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes.
2. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
3. Assemble Empanadas: Lay out the empanada dough on a clean surface. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in one half of each circle of dough, leaving space around the edges.
4. Seal the Pastry: Fold the other half over the filling and crimp the edges to seal tightly. You can make decorative seals or simply press them shut with a fork for easier handling.
5. Bake: Place empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush tops with a beaten egg yolk for a golden finish. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Enjoy your homemade empanadas!

Image model: JuggernautXL