Empanadas

Instructions

1. 1 Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the finely diced onions and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn translucent and just begin to color at the edges. Add the small-cubed beef, cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring to break up any clumps, until the beef is browned through and the spices are fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. The filling should be moist but not wet — if there is excess liquid, cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes to evaporate it.
2. 2 Transfer the filling to a bowl and fold in the halved green olives. Allow the mixture to cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cold filling is essential — warm filling creates steam inside the empanada during baking, causing the dough to become soggy and the seal to burst open. While the filling chills, prepare your egg pieces and preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
3. 3 Lay the empanada dough discs on a clean work surface. Place approximately 2 heaping tablespoons of the chilled beef filling on the lower half of each disc, leaving a 1-inch border. Add a piece of hard-boiled egg and two olive halves to each empanada. Be careful not to overfill — overstuffed empanadas are difficult to seal and prone to bursting in the oven.
4. 4 Moisten the edges of each disc with your fingertip dipped in water. Fold the top half of the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly together to seal, then create the traditional repulgue by folding small pleats along the sealed edge, pinching each fold tightly. The repulgue is not merely decorative — it identifies the filling and ensures a tight seal. Each empanada should have 10-13 uniform pleats.
5. 5 Place the assembled empanadas on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Brush the top and edges of each empanada with the egg wash, which gives them a beautiful glossy, golden finish. Use a toothpick to poke a small steam vent in the top of each one to prevent them from puffing up and bursting during baking.
6. 6 Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the empanadas are uniformly deep golden brown with a flaky, crisp shell and the bottoms are set and lightly colored. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes on the sheet before serving. Serve warm with chimichurri sauce on the side — these empanadas should have a crispy exterior that shatters on the first bite, revealing the juicy, spiced beef filling within.