Recipe: Beef Empanadas

Finding food that my boy enjoys can sometimes be a challenge – he’s not the most keen on trying new things, and he would much rather stick with dishes he knows and likes than stray to something different. So when I find a recipe I think he will enjoy then I’m quick to give it a try and hope that he enjoys it. Luckily, if it features meat and vegetables, then we’re pretty safe, so I was happy to find these beef empanadas and give this slightly adjusted dish a go. This recipe makes 12 empanadas.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 250g lean beef mince
• 1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
• 1 sheet ready rolled shortcrust pastry
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

1. Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the beef mince and cook until browned, approximately 8 minutes.
3. Add the pepper and the spices and cook for a further 2 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
5. Unroll the shortcrust pastry and use a 9cm round cutter to cut out 12 discs of pastry.
6. Put 1 tablespoon of the cooled filling on 1 half of each pastry circle. Brush the edge of each circle with egg and seal shut.
7. Place on baking trays, brush with egg and bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Photo Credit: Lucy