Empanadas

I have been looking for our recipe for Empanadas from Argentina. My husband served a mission there for two years and had a recipe for them from a local...but we can't find it!
I did some searching and this recipe is most similar I guess. Basically, an empanada is dough that you put stuff in. You can put anything in it that sounds good to you. Where my husband was, they basically did potatoes and meat as well as a more dessert one. Oh, and we baked ours--we didn't fry them. If I ever find the recipe, I will let you know...

It's exquisite aroma and taste of this beefy filling find its influence way back from the Classic and South American countries like Peru, Chilean, Argentinian and Puerto Rican. It is traditionally eaten as a streetfood that are ideal for those people who are always on the go.



INGREDIENTS:

♥2 hard-boiled large eggs

♥1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

♥1 tablespoon olive oil

♥1 garlic clove, finely chopped

♥1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

♥1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

♥3/4 pound ground beef chuck

♥2 tablespoons raisins

♥1 1/2 tablespoons chopped pimiento-stuffed olives

♥1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, reserving

♥2 tablespoons juice, and chopped

♥1 package frozen empanada pastry disks, thawed

♥About 4 cups vegetable oil



How to Prepare:

♥Cut each egg crosswise into 10 thin slices.

♥Cook onion in olive oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until softened. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef and cook, breaking up lumps with a fork, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
♥Add raisins, olives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and tomatoes with reserved juice, then cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced but mixture is still moist, about 5 minutes. Spread on a plate to cool.

♥Preheat oven to 200°F with rack in middle.

♥Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on a dampened work surface (to help keep plastic in place), then roll out an empanada disk on plastic wrap to measure about 6 inches. Place 3 tablespoons meat mixture on disk and top with 2 slices of egg. Moisten edges of disk with water and fold over to form a semicircle, then crimp with a fork. Make more empanadas in same manner

♥Heat 3/4 inch vegetable oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it registers 360°F on thermometer. Fry empanadas, 2 or 3 at a time, turning once, until crisp and golden, 4 to 6 minutes per batch.

♥Transfer to a shallow baking pan and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 360°F between batches.

Recipe from: http://www.squidoo.com/homemade-empanada-recipes

[from Valerie]