Empanadas del Cono Sur (Chile and Argentina)

This empanada recipe uses the filling of the Chilean empanada and the dough of the Argentinean empanada. Together, they make the perfect empanada (although my Chilean and Argentinean friends would disagree with me!) The traditional Chilean dough of the "Empanada del Horno" become a little too hard and dry after a day or two (unlike the preferred flakier, lighter Argentinian dough) whereas the Argentinean filling uses ground beef instead of my preference- finely minced beef. So, I have taken the best of both empanada worlds and have created my Empanada del Cono Sur! (I buy my dough pre-made at a local Argentinean deli. The best pre=packaged and cut dough for these empanadas is the "La Salteña Masa Criolla de Empanadas para Horno" Make sure it says "para horno" (for baking) and not para freir (for frying)

Making the Pino (filling)

Pino is a seasoned mixture of  minced beef, onions, raisins, black olives, and hard boiled eggs. The pino tastes best if made the day before and allowed to rest overnight before filling the empanandas.

Pino Ingredients

• 3 large onions, chopped
• 1 pound hand minced beef
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon chile powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 beef bouillon cube, dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped olives
• 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons milk

Cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil and butter until softened. Add the minced beef, cumin, chile powder, paprika, beef bouillon, and salt and pepper to taste. 

 

Cook the beef, stirring and crumbling the meat, until browned. Add the flour and continue to cook for 5 or 10 minutes more. 

 

Remove the meat mixture and let cool. The beef mixture will keep up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

Add 1 tablespoon of the beef filling, a few raisins and some chopped olives, and a slice of hard boiled egg to the middle of the circle. 

 Brush the edges with water and fold the pastry in half over the filling, to make a semi-circle.Seal the edges by pressing down with your fingers. Brush the sealed edge lightly with water, then turn the edge toward the middle and press with your fingers to seal.

 Mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons milk, and brush the empanadas with the mixture.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Empanadas Ready to Eat!