I travelled to Buenos Aires with my mum in 2018 to visit family friends that we haven't seen in years. Buenos Aires was a city I have always wanted to travel to, there is something so special about it, whether it is it's art, architecture, music, vibrant colours or their tango. Although I wasn’t able to travel there for too long, I fell in love with the city and it's food.
Beef and Chorizo Empanadas
The Story
Argentina and it's food!
Beef and Chorizo Empanadas
Empanadas are a delicious Latin American and Southern European pastry filled with meat, chicken, seafood, cheese or vegetables. It is believed that empanadas are very similar to calzones both derived from the Arabic meat-filled pies, samosas.
You can choose to fry them or bake them. I personally choose to bake them because I love when the pastry is soft and is also a little (just a little!) healthier.
The recipe I’m sharing today is from Argentina as I do believe they are the best.
Ingredients
- 2 medium Spanish Chorizo, chopped
- 300 g Premium Beef mince
- 2 medium Onion, chopped
- 2 small Garlic, chopped
- 1/2 small Red chilli
- 1/2 medium Red capsicum, diced
- 1/2 punnet coriander, finely chopped
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp oregano
- 3 tbs tomato puree
- 1 pinch Salt and black pepper
- 2 sheets of puff pastry or make your own pastry!
Instructions
- Using a frying pan, sautee for about 3 minutes the onion, garlic, chilli and season with half of the herbs and spices.
- Add chorizo and cook for 5 minutes in medium to slow heat.
- Once the chorizo is cooked and slightly crispy, add the mince, the tomato puree and the rest of the herbs and spices, cook for another 3 to 5 minutes and let it cool.
- To assemble the empanadas, heat the oven to 180C.
- Divide the dough into four portions and roll out each one into a thin sheet.
- Use a 10cm biscuit cutter to cut out discs.
- Place 1 tsp of filling in the centre of each disc, wet the edges with water, pinch both sides up and fold in half to seal.
- Use a fork to crimp the edges or your fingers to fold the pastry. Make sure you don't touch the filling while doing this or it will become very messy!
- Arrange on a lined baking tray.
- Brush with beaten egg and bake for 20 minutes.
- When the empanadas are ready, remove from the oven and cool for 5 mins before serving. Best eaten with chimichurri.
