Cookie Bookie

Empanadas

Dough:
5 cups flour
½ cup butter, softened
½ tablespoon salt
1 ½ - 2 cups warm water

Filling: (can be doubled)
olive Oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds onions, chopped
½ bunch green onions, chopped
1-2 bell peppers, chopped
1 pound ground beef
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon “pizza condiment”/adobo seasoning
1 9.5 ounce bottle green olives with pimentos, sliced
1 can black olives, sliced
3 boiled eggs, chopped

For dough:
in stand mixer, mix together flour and butter until combined.  Dissolve salt and 1 ½ cups warm water and add to dough mixture.  Add more water if needed, until mixture forms a ball and comes away from the sides (up to an additional ½ cup of water). Let the mixer knead dough for a few minutes then remove and knead by hand just enough to bring into a disc then place in a ziploc bag and refrigerate at least two hours or overnight.

For filling:
coat bottom of pan with olive oil and cook onions, green onions and bell peppers until slight soft (wilted).  Add ground beef and continue cooking until browned.  Add oregano, cumin, seasoning and salt and pepper to taste and cook until all is thoroughly cooked and flavors combined.  Remove from heat and cool. When cool add green and black olives and boiled eggs, mix thoroughly and taste for seasoning.  Refrigerate until cold or overnight.

Roll small portions of cold dough out to about 1/8 inch thick and cut into circles.  Add filling and pinch edges to make sure it is tightly closed.  Brush all empanadas with beaten egg and bake at 350 degrees on lower oven rack for about 20 minutes.  Move to top rack and continue cooking until golden brown.  Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Gabi