Argentine Empanadas

Ingredients

• •3.5 cups All-purpose flour
• •1 cup Unsalted butter, cold
• •1 tsp Salt
• •0.75 cup Cold water
• •1.5 lbs Ground beef (80/20)
• •2 large Yellow onion
• •4 cloves Garlic cloves
• •2 tsp Ground cumin
• •1 tbsp Paprika
• •1 tsp Ají molido (or cayenne)
• •0.5 cup Green olives, pitted
• •0.25 cup Raisins
• •3 pcs Hard-boiled eggs
• •4 stalks Green onion
• •0.25 cup Fresh parsley
• •0.5 cup Chicken broth
• •2 tbsp Tomato paste
• •1 pcs Egg (for egg wash)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough: pulse flour and cold butter in a food processor until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add salt, then drizzle in cold water while pulsing until dough forms. Divide in half, flatten into disks, wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour.

   💡 Cold butter creates flaky layers - warm butter makes tough cookies. Work quickly and keep everything cold.

2. 2

   Make the filling: sauté finely diced onion in oil over medium heat for 8 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, cumin, paprika, and ají molido. Cook 2 minutes until fragrant.

   💡 Bloom the spices in oil to release their oils - this builds depth. The onions should be completely soft before adding meat.

3. 3

   Add ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook 8-10 minutes until browned. Add tomato paste, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes until liquid reduces.

   💡 The filling should be moist but not wet - too much liquid makes empanadas soggy. Cook until most liquid evaporates.

4. 4

   Remove from heat. Stir in chopped green olives, raisins, diced hard-boiled eggs, sliced green onions, and parsley. Let cool completely before filling.

   💡 Cooling is essential - hot filling will make the dough soggy and difficult to seal. The flavors also meld as it cools.

5. 5

   Roll dough on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 4-inch rounds. Place 2 tablespoons filling in center of each round.

   💡 Uniform rounds ensure even cooking. Don't overfill - about 2 tablespoons is perfect. Overfilled empanadas burst open.

6. 6

   Fold dough over filling to create half-moon shape. Crimp edges with a fork or fold and twist edge over itself (repulgue). The seal must be tight to prevent bursting.

   💡 The repulgue (rolled edge) is the signature Argentine technique. It looks beautiful and creates a secure seal.

7. 7

   Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Beat egg with 1 tbsp water for egg wash. Brush tops of empanadas. Cut 2 small slits in top of each to allow steam to escape.

   💡 Slits prevent empanadas from bursting. The egg wash gives a beautiful golden-brown color.

8. 8

   Bake 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown. The internal temperature should reach 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

   💡 Letting them rest allows the filling to set slightly. Serve with chimichurri or salsa golf (spicy ketchup mayo).