Meat Empanadas



INGREDIENTS:

1 onion chopped

2-3 garlic cloves chopped

1 lb ground beef

1 tbsp oregano

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

1/2 cup green olives, chopped

1/2 cup raisins

1 hard-boiled egg, chopped

salt and white pepper to taste

olive oil

tomato sauce (can be omitted)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown the onion and the garlic on the olive oil. Add
ground beef and brown. Drain the fat off. Add the spices
and cook until the meat is done. If you'd like, add some
tomato sauce (I use pasta sauce), enough to moisten the
meat. Once it's ready, mix in the olives, raisins and the
egg (I personally skip the egg).Scoop the meat mixture
(about a tablespoon worth) onto the shell.Fold the shell,
forming a semi-circle. Close the empanada bypassing a
fork though its open edge, merging both sides of the shell.
Brush the tops of the empanadas with a bit of water or
milk. Sprinkle sugar. Bake in oven at 400 F. until golden.
Empanadas can be made with many different fillings.
Another favorite of mine is cheese, Monterey Jack is
probably the best choice in the US. For a dessert
alternative, use quince-jam as a filling
(traditionalquince-jam empanadas, however, are rather
small).Empanadas is a particularly good party dish, as
they don'trequire to be sitting up at a table to eat them.



Meat Empanadas