Beef Empanadas With Olives Easy Puff Pastry Ground Beef Food

BEEF EMPANADAS WITH OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Grease 2 baking sheets with cooking spray and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onions and cook for 4 minutes, or until translucent.
• Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
• Add ground beef, cumin, paprika and pepper.
• Cook, stirring and breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat and mix in the chopped olives; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one sheet puff pastry dough to 1/8 inch thickness.
• Cut out 6 circles, each should be about a 5-inch diameter. I use a large round cookie cutter.
• Repeat with the second sheet of pastry dough.
• Spoon about a tablespoon of the meat mixture onto center of each dough round; set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl combine egg and water and lightly beat with a fork. Using a pastry brush, paint edges of dough with the prepared egg wash.
• Fold dough over meat, shaping it into half-moon shape; gently press down edges and twist down to seal.
• Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Transfer the empanadas to previously prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1-1/2 inches space between the empanadas.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until puffed up and golden brown.
• Remove from oven and serve immediately.

GROUND BEEF EMPANADAS (PICADILLO)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef chuck and cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the olives, raisins, carrots and onions and saute for just a couple minutes until softened. Add the tomato puree and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and cool to room temperature before filling the empanadas.
• Grease a large baking sheet with some nonstick cooking spray. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the pastry out to a 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness. With a knife, cut out 4 equal squares measuring 4 1/2-by-5 1/2-inches. Add 2 tablespoons of the cooled beef mixture to the center of the square. Brush the edge of each square with some egg wash and fold to shape into triangles. Crimp the edges with a fork. Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheet and brush them with the remaining egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.