Empanadas Jugosas

Chef Michelle’s Favorite Empanada Dough:

100 grams clarified butter

250 grams water

500 grams AP flour

pinch salt

Combine the flour, salt.  Combine the butter and water.  Place the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Add the liquid into the bowl and paddle on low just to combine.  If needed, you can add a few tablespoons of water (one at a time).

Empanadas Jugosas 

Recipe from Dona Lola’s El Artedela Mesa

Chef Michelle’s Note: This recipe has been translated from Spanish and the method elaborated on for clarity.

100 grams pork fat or lard

3-4 onions, diced small (we used about 3 cups)

½ kilo of ground beef

1 garlic clove, minced

One spoonful of sugar (we used a tablespoon)

½ cup demi-glace

100 grams raisins

100 grams green olives with pimento

2 hardboiled eggs, sliced

1 teaspoon cumin

oil for frying

Heat the fat or lard in a large sauté pan.  Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent.  Add the ground beef and cook, breaking the meat apart, until browned.  Add the remaining ingredients (except for the hardboiled egg and frying oil) and cook for 3-5 minutes longer, taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary.

Transfer the filling to a bowl and place in the refrigerator overnight to solidify the fat.  Make the empanada dough and allow to rest for 20 minutes.  Roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness and punch into large circles, about 4-5 inches.   Place a slice of hardboiled egg and a heaping spoonful of filling into the center of each circle.  Wet the edges with water and seal the dough with a fork or by rolling, the repulgue method.

Heat 2½ inches of frying oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350˚F.  Fry the empanadas in batches a few at a time until golden brown on both sides.  Remove and drain on paper towels.