Argentina · Meat Dishes

Empanadas Mendocinas (Argentine Baked Beef Empanadas)

Mendocinas are Mendoza's version of the empanada — baked, never fried, and distinguished by a milk dough that bakes softer than the standard.

100 min✻6 servings✻310 kcal
Empanadas Mendocinas (Argentine Baked Beef Empanadas)

Ingredients

  • ground beef450 g
  • large white onions2
  • smoked paprika2 tsp
  • hot paprika or cayenne1 tsp
  • ground cumin1 tsp
  • dried oregano1 tsp
  • green olives80 g
  • hard-boiled eggs2
  • all-purpose flour400 g
  • lard or cold unsalted butter80 g
  • egg yolk1
  • whole milk150 ml
  • salt1.5 tsp
  • egg for egg wash1

Method

  1. 1Make the filling. Dice the onions finely. Cook them in a dry pan over medium-low heat with a pinch of salt for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Add the ground beef, smoked paprika, hot paprika, cumin, and oregano. Cook over medium heat, breaking the meat up, for 8 to 10 minutes until no pink remains. The mixture should be fragrant and deeply orange-red from the paprika. Drain off excess fat if needed. Taste and adjust salt.
  2. 2Cool the filling. Transfer the filling to a flat dish and spread it out. Leave at room temperature for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The filling must be cold before assembly. Warm filling makes the dough sticky, prevents a clean seal, and causes the empanadas to burst in the oven. While the filling cools, quarter the olives and slice the hard-boiled eggs into rounds.
  3. 3Make the dough. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold lard or butter in small pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix the egg yolk into the milk. Add the milk mixture to the flour gradually, mixing with a fork, until a soft dough comes together. Do not overwork. Form into a ball, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. 4Roll and cut. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 3 mm thickness. Cut circles approximately 12 cm in diameter using a cutter, bowl, or glass. Re-roll the scraps once. You should get 14 to 16 discs.
  5. 5Fill and seal. Place 1 heaped tablespoon of cold filling in the centre of each disc. Add one olive piece and a slice of hard-boiled egg. Moisten the edge of the disc with water or egg white. Fold over into a half-moon and press the edges firmly together. Seal with a fork pressed twice along the edge, or crimp by folding the border into a braid — the repulgue. No air pockets inside.
  6. 6Bake. Preheat the oven to 200 C. Arrange the empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Beat the egg with a teaspoon of water and brush the tops lightly. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the crust is deep golden and the surface is glossy. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before serving. The filling is very hot inside.