Spicy Beef Empanadas

PUBLISHED ON: 03.10.2012

Empanadas are fast, easy and you can prepare a couple of dozen at a time.  You can stuff the dough with almost any filling. This is the kind of grab n’ go meal I need during the week. Gets me out of the sandwich rut for lunch and a fast easy snack on the run, or light dinner.

No doubt there are some readers shaking their head at me for using refrigerated biscuit dough and not an empanada dough but, folks it was so easy. I need easy in my life.

This is a portable and hearty meal.  A perfect meal for little hands too.

Spicy Beef Empanadas
Makes 20

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1/3 cup raisins, chopped
1/4 cup stuffed pimento green olives, chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-3/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup packed grated Monterey Jack Cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2-12 ounce (10 biscuits)  refrigerated biscuits
2 egg yolks, beaten to blend(glaze)
Salt and pepper 
Directions:
Heat oil in a heavy medium skillet.  Add beff, bell pepper and garlic.  Cook until beef loses its pink color and vegetables begin to soften, breaking up beef with a fork, about 6 minutes.  Add raisins and next 6 ingredients and cook until mixture is thick, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix cheese and cilantro into filling.
Preheat oven to 375 F.  Roll out 1 biscuit on a lightly floured surface to a 4-inch circle.  Brush half of the dough edge with glaze.  Place 1 rounded tablespoon of filling on dough.  Fold dough over to create a half circle; press edges to seal.  Using a fork, crimp edge decoratively.  Place empanada on heavy large baking sheet.  Brush with glaze.  Repeat with remaining biscuits, filling and glaze.
Bake empanadas until golden brown, about 12 minutes.
Enjoy!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You cannot copy content of this page