Beef Empanadas

Name: Beef Empanadas
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 60 g Lard; 340 g Warm water; 1 tsp Salt; 600 g All-purpose flour; 3 pcs Tomatoes; 1 clove Garlic; 1 pcs Red onion; pcs Green onion; 750 g Beef sirloin; 1 tbsp Dried oregano; 1 tsp Paprika; 1 tsp Red pepper flakes; 1 tsp Parsley; to taste Salt; to taste Black pepper; 3 pcs Eggs; 1 pcs Egg for brushing; to taste Chimichurri sauce

Juicy Uruguayan pastries with crispy dough filled with braised beef, eggs, and tomatoes — a true street classic of Latin America. Serve them hot with chimichurri sauce, and your guests will be delighted.

Ingredients

60 g Lard
340 g Warm water
1 tsp Salt
600 g All-purpose flour
3 pcs Tomatoes
1 clove Garlic
1 pcs Red onion
pcs Green onion
750 g Beef sirloin
1 tbsp Dried oregano
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Red pepper flakes
1 tsp Parsley
to taste Salt
to taste Black pepper
3 pcs Eggs
1 pcs Egg for brushing
to taste Chimichurri sauce

Instructions

Mix the lard, warm water, and salt in a large bowl and stir until smooth. Add the flour and knead the dough by hand for about 5 minutes or using a stand mixer. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or better yet, refrigerate overnight.
Score the tomatoes with a cross and blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer to cold water and peel. Dice the flesh. Press the garlic through a garlic press and dice the onion. Sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil over medium heat, stirring, until translucent. Set the onion and garlic aside, increase the heat to high, and brown the meat on all sides until golden. Season with oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, and parsley. Return the onion and garlic to the pan, add the tomatoes. Braise for a few minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, you can prepare the filling in advance and refrigerate until the next day. Peel the hard-boiled eggs and dice them, add to the meat filling, and mix.
Divide the dough into two parts. Roll out one part thinly on a floured surface. Cut out circles 12–15 cm in diameter. Place 2–4 teaspoons of filling on each circle, moisten the edges with water, fold the dough in half into a crescent shape, and seal the edges firmly with a fork. Repeat until you run out of dough and filling.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange about 8 empanadas on it. Brush each one with egg wash. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot with chimichurri sauce.