Recipe: Criollas Argentinas o Chilenas

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These pastries are typical in Argentina and Chile. The name comes from “empanar”, or to coat with bread. Variations of this form of portable meals are found in Cornish pasties, Italian calzone, or turnovers.

Ingredients:

For the DOUGH:

2 cups flour

2 tbsp.lard

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
TIP!! If you’re a bit lazy you can use the croissant dough offered at the supermarket. You won’t get the same results but it is an easy way to skip the dough preparation stepFor the FILLING:

2 large onions

1 lb. meat (beef)

2 hard-boiled eggs

pepper, cumin, salt and red pepper to taste

raisins and olivesPreparation:

1. DOUGH: Sift the dry ingredients, add the cold lard(if you preffer you can replace lard with butter). Beat the egg, add to the milk and add this to the flour and lard. (Or you can skip this part using the croissant dough) Roll out in small quantities until you get small, round layers of dough.
2. FILLING: Cube the onion and meat. Heat in a pot, 3 tbsp. of lard (if you prefer you can replace lard with vegetal oil) Remove from fire. Let stand a minute. Pour the onion and the meat, adding salt, pepper and cumin, and heat it until the meat is cooked. Let cool completely.
3. PUTTING IT TOGETHER: Fill-in the round layers of dough, with the preparation. Add pieces of hard-boiled egg, raisins and olives, two or three in each empanada. Fold in half and close them (easy tip! If you put water over the edges it will be easier to close them). To get a goldish flare on your empanadas, brush them with milk. Bake in a hot oven for 20 min. at maximum heat. http://thekitchensideoftheforce.blogspot.com/