Beef Empanadas

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For the dough:

400 g/14 oz Plain Flour

1 teasp Salt

175 g/6 oz Butter

1-3 tbsp chilled water

For the filling:

450 g/1l b Minced Beef

2 Onions, chopped

1 green Capsicum, (sweet pepper), chopped

50 g/2 oz Raisins, pre-soaked in warm water

2 tbsp chopped Green Olives

1 tbsp Tomato Paste

1 hard boiled Egg, chopped

Beaten Egg, to glaze

1 teasp Tabasco Sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 teasp fresh Thyme Leaves

Cooking Instructions:

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles a coarse breadcrumbs. Add the water a little at a time and mix with a knife until the pastry begins to bind together. Using your hands, form the pastry into a ball then cover with clingfilm and chill for 1 hour. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the beef and lightly brown on all sides. Add the remainder of the ingredients, mix well and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes. Set aside until you are ready to assemble the empanadas. Preheat the oven to 200C, 400F, Gas Mark 6. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm/1/8th inch thickness then cut into 8 circles using a plate or small saucepan lid. Divide the filling between the pastry circles then brush the edges of the pastry with a little water, fold over to create semi circles and press the edges firmly together with a fork making sure they are well sealed. Brush the tops with beaten egg and bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

#argentina #beef #empanada