Baked Beef Empanadas with Peppers and Olives

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 small red pepper, finely diced
• 350 g lean beef mince
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 50 ml water
• 50 g pitted green olives, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more only if needed
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 600 g ready-made shortcrust pastry, chilled
• A little plain flour for rolling
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing

Instructions

1. Soften the vegetables. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and pepper for 7–8 minutes until soft. Add beef and break it into fine crumbles. Cook until browned and the ground beef reaches 71°C/160°F; check several spots in the cooked mixture.
2. Finish a dry filling. Stir in garlic, cumin, paprika and tomato purée for 1 minute. Add water, olives, salt and pepper and cook for 3–5 minutes until the mixture is moist but has no puddles. Taste before adding more salt because olives vary. Spread in a shallow dish and cool for about 20 minutes, refrigerating promptly if preparing further ahead.
3. Roll the pastry. Heat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/390°F, or follow a lower temperature required by the pastry packet. Line two trays with suitable baking parchment. Roll pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm thick. Cut 12 circles about 13 cm across, rerolling scraps once and chilling briefly if soft.
4. Fill and seal. Divide the cooled filling among the circles, placing a compact mound on one half and leaving a 1.5 cm border. Brush the edge lightly with water, fold into half-moons and press to expel excess air. Seal firmly with fork tines or a crimp. If the edges cannot meet without stretching, remove a little filling.
5. Glaze and bake. Place with gaps on the trays. Brush with beaten egg and cut a small steam slit on top of each. Bake for about 20–25 minutes until the pastry is golden on top and cooked underneath, swapping tray positions halfway if necessary. Heat the filling throughout to 74°C/165°F, especially if it was chilled.
6. Rest before eating. Move to a rack and let stand for 5–10 minutes. The filling can be much hotter than the pastry, so take care with the first bite. Serve with salad or salsa. Avoid enclosing them in a sealed box while hot, which traps steam and softens the pastry.

Tips and troubleshooting

Hot filling melts the pastry fat and makes weak seams, so cool it before assembling. A wet filling leaks even through a well-crimped edge. If the base is pale, move the tray to a lower shelf for a few extra minutes while checking the tops.

Substitutions

Leave out olives if preferred and add a little extra cooked pepper. This is a shortcrust home version rather than a claim to one regional empanada style. Milk can replace egg wash for a different finish, adding a milk allergen if your pastry has none.

Allergen notes

Contains wheat and egg; shortcrust often contains milk and may contain other allergens. Check olive and pastry labels, including any dietary requirements for the pastry fat.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate cooked leftovers in shallow covered containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C/90°F. Keep the refrigerator at 4°C/40°F or colder and use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days. Reheat cooked fillings thoroughly to 74°C/165°F. Store salad and cold sauces separately; reheat only the portion needed. Discard food left out beyond these limits. Reheat empanadas in an oven at 180°C/160°C fan/355°F until the centres reach 74°C/165°F. Freeze fully cooled empanadas in a sealed container for best quality within 2 months; thaw safely in the refrigerator before reheating.

Food safety references: USDA safe cooking temperatures and leftovers and food safety.