Argentinian Empanadas

Golden-brown pastries with a flaky, tender crust encasing seasoned ground beef and sweet sautéed peppers and onions — these handheld treasures are pure comfort food. Each bite delivers savory filling contrasted by the delicate crispness of the dough, made silky with cold lard. Perfect for feeding a crowd or enjoying as a satisfying appetizer any time you want something genuinely special.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold lard or vegetable shortening, cubed

1 large egg

3/4 cup cold water

1 lb ground beef

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup beef broth

12 pimiento-stuffed green olives, halved

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water for egg wash

Instructions

Make the dough by combining flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold cubed lard and work it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat the egg with cold water, then gradually add to the flour mixture, stirring until a dough forms. Knead briefly until smooth, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the filling, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and drain excess fat from the pan.

In the same skillet, sauté the onion and bell pepper over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Return the beef to the pan and add paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir in the beef broth and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, fold in the green onions, olives, and hard-boiled eggs. Let the filling cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 6-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling in the center of each circle.

Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly to seal, then crimp by folding small sections of the edge over itself to create a decorative rope pattern called the repulgue.

Place the empanadas on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush the tops with egg wash and use a fork to poke a small vent hole in each. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.