Peruvian Beef Empanada Recipe

Beef Empanada is a very particular appetizer in almost all of Latin America , although we can also find different varieties in Europe and Asia. The difference lies in the shape or decoration that is given and also in the variety of the filling, which is essential since it usually accommodates the typical of each country.

🔪 Prep Time	15 minutes
🍲 Cook Time	1 hour
⏲️ Total Time	1 hour 15 minutes
🍽️ Servings	8 servings
🔥 Calories	120 calories

Ingredients

For the mass

• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 500 grams of prepared flour
• 400 grams of butter
• 2 eggs. (A hard-boiled egg for the filling and the other normal to spread on top of the dough)

For the filling

• 500 grams of ground beef or mixed with pork
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red onion, also diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tsp of yellow chili
• 1 teaspoon ají panca (red chili)
• Olive or sunflower oil
• Salt, pepper, cumin and dried oregano

Method

For the filling

1. Heat a little olive or sunflower oil in a frying pan or deep pot and as soon as it is hot, add the onion and seconds later the ground garlic. Lower the heat so it doesn’t burn.
2. When the onion has taken on that slightly transparent color, add the yellow chili and the panca or red chili. Mix everything.
3. Add the meat, mix with the onion, fry and move from time to time for 4 minutes or so.
4. Add salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Stir everything and correct the salt if necessary.
5. Add the green pepper and mix everything. Fry for a couple of minutes until the pepper is a bit soft.
6. Once ready, remove the filling and let it cool.

For the mass

1. Get the ingredients ready on the table and have everything complete to start in the most orderly way.
2. Place the butter on a metal bowl and let it melt slightly over low heat so that when mixed it runs and melts better with the flour. Once melted, remove the bowl from the heat.
3. Add the flour and the teaspoon of baking powder and mix everything.
4. Add salt, sugar and also cold water.
5. Take a support / tray with a flat surface and spread a little flour, this is so that the dough does not stick. Then place the dough and start kneading for approximately 5 to 8 minutes.
6. This is how you will achieve the dough ready to shape and bake.
7. To assemble the empanadas, take a little dough and stretch it out, you can also use a rolling pin to make it thinner.
8. Make a circle in your hand and add the filling. Close the dough using the fingertips very carefully.
9. Spread them with the beaten egg on all sides and place them on a tray with a parchment paper base (baking paper).
10. Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure they don’t burn, each oven is different.

Attention

The filling of these easy Peruvian Meat Empanadas can also be made with your favorite filling, you can make them with cheese, vegetables, seasoned chicken and something more elaborate like ají de gallina, seasoned mushrooms, among others.

But it’s not all! down here I leave you 3 SECRETS so that your Peruvian Meat Empanadas turn out delicious.

Tips and tricks

• After preparing the dough, put it in a plastic bag and take it to the refrigerator (fridge) and leave it there for at least 30 minutes. With this you will get a more elastic and homogeneous dough.
• The meat, chicken or tenderloin stuffing can often be too juicy and that makes the dough too wet and open during baking. I recommend that before filling the empanadas you remove almost all the juice, I say almost because there must also be a little juice inside.
• The repulgue or fold of the empanada is very important. Use a little of the beaten egg to close them properly.