Beef Empanadas (or Empanadas Salteñas from Argentina)

This recipe is a translation and simplification of the recipe

I found on an Argentine website that is no longer online.

It's one of Nathan's favorites. The pastry shells, called

tapas de empanadas, are available in stores where they

import latin food, but for those of us far removed

from such luxuries, we have to make our own.

Empanadas Salteñas

Pastry crust:

8 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

10 oz. unsalted butter, softened

1 egg, lightly whisked

1.5 t. salt

1.5 c. room temperature water

1) Make a mound of flour with a dent in the middle, forming a bowl.

Place the soft butter and egg in the center of the bowl.

2) Mix the flour, egg, and butter by folding the flour into the liquid.

Mix until the blend reaches an even consistency.

3) Dissolve the salt in the water. Add water to the flour mixture 1/4 c.

at a time until the dough forms a ball. Kneed for 5 minutes, and

cover with a damp towel to let rest for 15 minutes.

4) Dust the counter with flour and roll the dough out into 8 inch circles

that are 1/4 inch thick. Place wax paper or extra flour between the

shells to keep them from sticking together.

Filling:

2 T. olive oil

4 lb ground beef (less than 20% fat is preferable)

6 hard boiled eggs, diced

4 medium cooking onions, diced

1 c. pitted green olives, diced

1/4 c. seedless raisins

3 T. oregano

3 T. garlic powder

3 T. roasted red pepper, minced

4 cubes of Knorr beef bullion

Salt and black pepper to taste

1) Heat olive oil in a large pot, and add diced onions.

Cook until soft and translucent.

2) Add beef to pot and brown.

VERY IMPORTANT: Drain the meat before proceeding.

3) Add oregano, garlic powder and beef bullion cubes to meat

and mix in thoroughly.

4) Mix in the remaining ingredients, and let the filling cool to

room temperature.

PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES F.

Putting it all together:

1) Take 2-3 tablespoons of filling and place it in the middle of

an 8 in pastry shell.

2) Fold the shell closed so that the filling is still in the center

of the shell, but the edges can

be pinched together. You may want to wet you finger with

some water and run it over the

edge where the dough is supposed to stick together.

3) Crimp the edges of the shell so that it is firmly sealed shut.

The result should be a half circle with filling held inside.

4) Place these on a greased cookie sheet and use a fork to stab

holes in the top of each empanada so that they don't expand

and lose their shape during baking.

5) Cook about 20 minutes or until the outside of the pastry

dough is golden brown.

This is a great recipe to serve with potato or lettuce salad.

Plan for at least 2 or 3 empanadas per person. This recipe

is just as good when cut in half. Enjoy!