Peru · Peru
Empanadas de Carne
Small hand pies with a flaky dough and a savory beef filling spiced with ají amarillo and cumin, baked until golden.
Empanadas are the pastry that has to survive travel, which is why the dough is short and the filling is cooked before it goes in. Baked versions dominate in the Andes while fried ones are more common on the coast, so asking which is correct starts an argument. They are the food of long journeys and crowded markets, sold by the dozen and eaten standing.
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour360 g
- cold unsalted butter, cubed140 g
- ice water110 ml
- salt4 g
- ground beef300 g
- onion, finely diced100 g
- ají amarillo paste12 g
- ground cumin2 g
- sweet paprika2 g
- pitted black olives, chopped25 g
- egg, beaten1 pieces
Directions
- 1
Cut butter into flour and salt, drizzle with ice water and knead briefly into a smooth dough.
Dough is smooth and holds together without sticking. - 2
Cook onion in oil, add beef and brown, then stir in ají, cumin, paprika and olives until thick.
Filling is dry enough to spoon neatly. Cook ground meat to 71°C internal temperature. - 3
Roll dough thin, cut into rounds, fill each with a spoonful of the meat, fold and crimp the edge.
Edges are tightly crimped with no gaps. - 4
Brush with egg and bake until the crust is deep golden and the filling is piping hot.
Crust is deep golden and filling steams through the seam. Cook egg wash to a fully set appearance. - 5
Cool the empanadas on a rack and refrigerate any leftovers promptly.
Empanadas are firm enough to lift without sagging. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4°C or below; consume within 24 hours.
Source: WorldBite Editorial · WorldBite Proprietary Editorial Content