Empanadas are so easy to make. You can use any filling that you want and freeze them for when you need them. Making empanadas with my mom was a whole day process but we made 100 of them at once and we would give them away to our neighbors and family. When others made empanadas, they would bring some to us. It was a great way to share food and interact with family and friends and exchange recipes.

Serves 20 empanadas

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg yolk

1 cup warm milk (or warm water)

Preparation:

In a food processor mix the flour with the salt.

Add the shortening and pulse until the flour looks like sand.

Add the egg yolk and slowly add the milk until the dough is soft. Put the dough on the table and work with your hands until dough is soft but not wet. Divide the dough in 5 portions and wrap them in plastic. Set them aside for 1 hour.

Filling

Ingredients

1 cup diced onion (small)

1 lb ground beef

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup green onion chopped

1/2 cup frozen petite peas

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp garlic

1  tsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup broth or water

5 hard boiled eggs

5 large green marinated olives ( 2 extra for decoration)

1 egg to paint the empanada

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a pan add the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 min.

Add the paprika, cumin, salt and oregano. Cook for another 3 min.

Add the meat and cook them for 5 min.

Add the broth and cook until it starts boiling.

Add the peas and green onions and turn off the stove. You want the filling slightly dry but not too much. Let it chill for 1/2 hour.

Divide each ball of dough in 4 pieces for a total of 20 little balls.

Cover them with plastic and let them rest for 5 min.

Preheat the oven to 400 F

Work one empanada at a time.

Roll one ball at a time into a flat round oval.

Put the filling in the rolled dough. 1/2 tbsp of the beef filling and add the egg and olive and cover with another 1/2 tbsp of filling.

Close the empanada by folding the empty half over the filling.

Place the empanadas on a baking sheet that is covered with parchment paper.

Whisk the egg and use a brush to paint each of them with the whisked egg. Cover the entire empanada.

For decoration: Slice the olives very thin and place on top. If you have fresh oregano add a leaf of oregano on top.

Bake them for 20 min or until well brown.

Serve warm by itself or if you want you can add the chimichurri sauce or peanut sauce.

Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano (just the leaves)

4 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 large clove minced (like a paste)

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

5 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp finely chopped scallions

1/4 tsp salt.

Preparation

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Prepare the sauce in the morning and use it by the afternoon,so the flavor will have time to mixed and marinated. Use the same day.