Beef Empanada's

I don't buy a lot of kitchen 'gadgets' but this one was well worth the 5 or 6 dollars I spent on it a couple of years ago.  

I make a lot of empanadas, pizza pockets, sweet and savory hand pies and breakfast pockets.  I used to cut the dough with a bowl and assemble.  Not that it was that difficult, but this makes it a lot faster.  You lay it out flat to cut your circles then put the dough on the top fill and crimp.  They all come out perfect.

There are many ways to make beef empanadas, but this is the recipe that an old friend gave me years ago and it is one of my favorites. 

Empanada Dough

2 3/4 Cup AP Flour

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 eggs

1/2 Cup ice water

1 Tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Sift flour with salt in a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some butter lumps.

Beat together egg, water and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork.  Add to flour mixture stirring with for until just incorporated.

Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together.  Form dough into a flat rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap at least for an hour.

Empanada Filling

1 pound ground beef

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

3 peeled, diced boiled potatoes

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

pinch of salt

pinch of ground black pepper

1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped pimento stuffed olives

Cook ground beef and onions and then add the remaining ingredients.

Fill empanada dough with about 4 tablespoons of mixture and crimp together making sure they are closed.. Brush with egg wash and use a toothpick to poke four or five holes for steam to escape.

Bake at 425 for 15-18 minutes.

Some people fry them, which is delicious but I prefer to bake them.