Beef Empanadas

Almost every culture had some kind of pastry or noodle stuffed with filling. Just a few examples include ravioli, shish barak, potstickers, pierogi, and, of course, empanadas. These versatile pastries, iconic to Spanish and Latin cuisine, can be eaten as a snack, main dish, or dessert, depending on their size and filling. Although it is difficult to know exactly where empanadas originated, they most likely came from the Iberian Peninsula. Ruperto de Nola, the chef for King Ferdinand I of Naples, published his cookbook Libre del Choc in the 1520s, which contains the first written recipe for empanadas. His empanadas looked like a thin pie stuffed with sliced seafood, and it is possible that people began baking individual empanada pockets rather than messy portions of pie to make the empanadas easier to carry around. Empanadas traveled across the Atlantic through Spanish colonization, and they became so popular not only in Central and South America but also in the United States that the U.S. celebrates National Empanada Day on April 8th. Try empanadas yourself with this scrumptious dinner recipe!

Ingredients for the filling:

• 1 lb ground beef
• ½ onion
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 1-2 tablespoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• ½ bell pepper

Ingredients for the crust:

• 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 ¼ cups butter 
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup ice cold water
• 1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
• 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 1 egg (for the egg wash)

Instructions for the Dough:

• Mix together the salt and flour. Dice up the butter into small ½ inch chunks and work them into the dry mixture. Do not worry about completely dissolving the butter into the flour, but just work the ingredients with your hands until the mixture is crumbly.
• In another bowl, combine the eggs, vinegar, and ice cold water. Pour this into the dry mixture and roughly combine.
• Dump the dough onto a work surface and form it into a ball. Do not knead the dough! Cover the dough in plastic wrap or put in a bowl and place a towel on top. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. 

Instructions for the Filling:

• Preheat the oven to 400℉. 
• Dice the  ½ onion, ½ bell pepper, and 2 cloves of garlic. Saute the onions, peppers, garlic, and beef with oil in a large skillet. Drain the excess fat. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and ground pepper and cook for a few more minutes. 
• After chilling the dough, sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll it out to about ¼ inch in thickness or less. Use either a large cookie cutter or a bowl to cut out circles of about 6 inches in diameter. 
• Fill each round with 2-3 tablespoons of filling. Fold the rounds in half and use a fork to press the edges closed. You may need to dampen the edges of the dough with your finger to make them stick.
• Whisk the egg and brush the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake them for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown.
• Let the empanadas cool for a few minutes and then serve!

Notes:

• If you do not want to make a homemade crust, a store-bought one will work great too.
• If you do not have garlic cloves but do have garlic powder, add the powder to the beef when you add the other spices rather than with the onions and peppers.

Works Cited:

Cormack, Ellie. “Tasting History: Analysis of a 16th Century Spanish Recipe.” Arizona State University, spark.asu.edu/tasting-history-analysis-of-a-16th-century-spanish-recipe/

Calhoun, Patrick. “Spicy Beef and Cheese Empanadas.” Mexican Please, 13 May 2017, 

www.mexicanplease.com/spicy-beef-cheese-empanadas/

Freixa, Victoria. “Empanadas: Everything You Need to Know.” Cocina, wearecocina.com/lifestyle/empanadas-everything-you-need-to-know/ 

Menendez, Katriel. “History of Empanadas.” Argentine Chef, 15 March 2023, www.argentinechef.com/blog-gastronomical-advice/history-of-empanadas

Garcia, Jorge. “A Complete History of Argentinian Empanadas.” Amigo Foods: Your Latin Food Source, 4 April 2019, blog.amigofoods.com/index.php/argentine-foods/history-of-argentinian-empanadas/

“National Empanada Day – April 8th.” National Day Calendar, www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-empanada-day-april-8

Photo Credit: Jericho Church