Beef Empanadas

Feel free to use the frozen pastry dough in lieu of making the pastry yourself. It will save some time, and make it easier to prepare.


Beef Empanadas
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YIELD: 12 Empanadas

Ingredients
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1 Pound Ground Beef
2 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 Cup Onion, Chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Cup Beef stock, or Beef Broth
2 Large Ripe Tomatoes, Chopped
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Can Green Chilies (3 oz can), drained and chopped
1 Each Bay leaf
2 Tablespoons Black Olives, Chopped

1 1/2 Cups Unsifted flour
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Shortening
4 Teaspoons Cold Water
1 Each Egg Yolk

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1. For Filling, brown the ground beef in large skillet over medium high heat, drain and set aside. In now empty skillet, melt butter over medium heat, add onions and saute until tender. Add garlic and saute until fragrent, about 30 more seconds. Return beef to pan and mix with onions and garlic.

2. Add beef stock (or broth), tomatoes, green chiles, 1 teaspoon of salt, and bay leaf. Simmer, stirring occasionally abuot 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, discard bay leaf, and stir in the olives.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

4. For the Pasty, in medium bowl, combine flour, salt, shortening, and water. Blend until mixture holds together like bread dough.

5. Divide pastry into 12 pieces on lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a six inch round. What I do is roll the dough flat to abuot 1/4 inch thick, then I will use a number 10 can as a "cookie cutter". Place about 3 tablespoons of filling in one half of each round, and fold over the other half of the pastry.

6. Press edges together with fingers, to seal flute edges with a fork. Cut slits on top of each empanada. Beat egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush over top of empanadas.

7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden Brown