Beef Empanadas

Make the pastry in time that it has an hour to chill in the fridge:

• Combine the flour, baking powder and 1tsp salt in a bowl.
• Add the butter and rub into the flour until you have fine breadcrumbs (you can grate it in or dice it, either way it needs to be straight out of the fridge).
• Mix in a little water at a time and combine until it holds together, make a ball, wrap and refrigerate.

For the filling – this needs to be done in time to have at least 30 mins cooling time (you can do it the day before – even better):

• Finely chop the steak and fry in oil for a couple of minutes then set aside (in a bowl).
• Finely chop the onion, garlic, chilli and pepper and fry in the steak pan (add a little extra oil if needed).
• Add the paprika and cumin and fry until the veg is soft – 10 minutes (ish).
• De-stone and finely chop the olives (if they have stones crush them with the flat side of the knife and pull the stones out).
• Add the tomato purée, olives and crumbled stock cube to the pan.  Add 100ml boiling water and bring to the boil.
• Season and simmer until all the loose liquid has evaporated.  Add the beef and any juices from the bowl and combine.
• Turn off the heat and leave to cool completely.

Now we’re ready to make our empanadas!

• Heat the oven to 190
• Divide your pastry  into 14 equal pieces, roll each into a circle about as thick as a £1 – trim around a saucer or using a cookie cutter.
• Spoon approximately a heaped tbsp of filling into the middle of each circle and brush the edge with egg.
• Fold in half and crimp the edges with a fork.
• Brush with egg and bake on a lightly greased tray or baking sheet for 25 minutes – or until nice and golden.
• Leave to rest before tucking in as they are going to be BOILING!

Now pour a glass, take a photo, post it tagging @hannibalbrown and enjoy!