Beef and Onion Empanadas

Ingredients

Makes: 10

Dough

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed

6 to 7 tablespoons ice cold water

Filling

1 pound lean ground beef

¼ cup diced yellow onion

¾ cup recaito (recipe below)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Recaito:

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, cored and chopped

1 head garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped (about 1 cup packed)

1 bunch cilantro, chopped (about 1 cup packed)

½ medium orange bell pepper, chopped (or 3 small ajies dulces)

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water

Directions

To make the crust, place the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts, 5 to 6 times, until the butter is distributed throughout the flour in small pieces.

With the processor on low add the water 1 tablespoon at a time. Pause at 5 tablespoons and allow the dough to begin to come together in the center of the bowl. Continue to add water until the dough forms a ball. Remove the lid, gather the dough into a ball and transfer to a flat surface. Form into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

While the dough rests, make the filling. Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Add the onion. Continue to cook until the beef is no longer pink, about 3 more minutes. Drain any grease if necessary.

Recaito: Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Turn on low for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the container as needed. Process on high for 15 seconds, until a thick sauce forms. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Stir in the recaito and salt and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll the dough on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 4 ½-inch biscuit cutter to cut the dough into circles. Re-roll the dough until you get 10 circles. Place them all on a flat surface and transfer an equal scoop of the cooled filling onto each circle. It will be approximately ¼ cup filling for each. Fold the dough around the filling to create a half-moon. Pinch the ends together to seal each empanada.

Place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, or on a non-stick baking sheet. Whisk together the egg and water in a small dish. Brush each empanada with the egg wash.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. All to cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Special notes

Recipe and photography by Lori Rice, for the National Onion Association

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