Counter 09 · Latin Grill
Argentine Baked Beef Empanadas
Knife-cut beef, slow-cooked onion, paprika, green onion and hard-boiled egg folded into tender dough, sealed with a braided repulgue and baked until blistered and golden.
- Prep
- 1 hr
- Cook
- 50 min
- Serves
- 8
- Level
- Hard
In Argentina the filling called carne cortada a cuchillo is diced by hand, never ground, which keeps it juicy instead of pasty. Cook it a day ahead and chill it thoroughly: cold filling is far easier to seal, and the set fat will not leak in the oven. The braided edge, the repulgue, takes a little practice, but a simple fork crimp bakes just as well. Brush with egg for shine and serve them hot, ideally with a glass of Malbec and a bowl of chimichurri.
Method
-
Drop the diced beef into boiling water for 1 minute, then drain well. This quick blanch is an old Argentine trick for a cleaner-tasting filling.
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Melt the lard in a wide skillet over medium heat and cook the onions with a pinch of the salt for 12 to 15 minutes, until soft and translucent but not browned.
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Raise the heat to medium-high, add the beef, paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper and remaining salt, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, just until the beef loses its raw color. Stir in the green onions, cool, then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
-
Fold the eggs and olives into the cold filling. Heat the oven to 400 F and line two sheet pans with parchment.
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Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of filling onto each disc, wet the rim with water, fold into a half-moon and press to seal. Braid the edge by folding small overlapping pinches, or crimp with a fork.
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Arrange on the pans, brush with beaten egg and poke a tiny steam hole in each.
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Bake 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pans once, until deep golden with a few blisters. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
