Empanadas Criollas (Salteñas Style)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Plain flour — 500 g (4 cups)
- Butter or lard, melted — 100 g (7 tbsp)
- Salt — 1 tsp
- Warm water — 180 ml (3/4 cup)
- Minced (ground) beef — 400 g (14 oz)
- Large onion, finely chopped — 1
- Ground cumin — 1 tsp
- Sweet paprika — 1 tsp
- Chilli flakes — 1/2 tsp
- Spring onions, sliced — 2
- Hard-boiled eggs, chopped — 2
- Green olives, chopped — 40 g (1/4 cup)
- Egg, beaten, for sealing/glazing — 1
Method
- Combine flour, melted butter, salt and warm water into a smooth dough. Rest, covered, 30 minutes.
- Cook the onion slowly in a little fat until very soft and sweet, about 15 minutes. Add the beef and brown.
- Stir in cumin, paprika and chilli flakes; cook 5 minutes, then cool completely (ideally chill) - the filling should be cold before assembling.
- Fold in spring onions, chopped egg and olives once the filling has cooled.
- Roll the dough thin and cut into 12 cm rounds. Fill each with 2 tbsp of filling, fold over, and crimp with the traditional repulgue (rope) fold.
- Brush with beaten egg and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 18-20 minutes until golden.
Introduction: Empanadas criollas trace back to Spanish colonial pastries adapted with local beef, cumin and chilli by Andean and Creole cooks in Salta and the northwest.
Cultural Background: Empanadas criollas trace back to Spanish colonial pastries adapted with local beef, cumin and chilli by Andean and Creole cooks in Salta and the northwest. Hand-crimped and baked in a clay oven traditionally, they are the definitive Argentine appetizer, served at every gathering from asados to Sunday lunches.
Tips: A cold filling is essential – warm filling makes the dough soggy and hard to seal. The repulgue fold isn’t just decorative; it prevents leaking during baking.
Variations: Empanadas fritas: fry in hot oil instead of baking for a crisper, street-food-style empanada.
Vegetarian/Vegan: Vegetarian: Replace beef with a mix of sautéed potato, sweetcorn and diced peppers seasoned the same way. Vegan: Use the vegetable filling above, omit egg from filling and glaze with a little plant milk instead.
Storage: Refrigerate baked empanadas up to 3 days, or freeze unbaked for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 10 minutes; bake from frozen adding 8-10 extra minutes.
Nutrition: Per empanada (approx. 90 g): 210 kcal, 8 g protein, 11 g fat, 20 g carbohydrate, 1 g fibre.
FAQs:
Q: Why does the traditional filling include raisins in some regions but not others?
A: Raisins are more common in the Cuyo and central regions; Salta-style empanadas favour cumin, potato and olives without raisins.
- Plain flour — 500 g (4 cups)
- Butter or lard, melted — 100 g (7 tbsp)
- Salt — 1 tsp
- Warm water — 180 ml (3/4 cup)
- Minced (ground) beef — 400 g (14 oz)
- Large onion, finely chopped — 1
- Ground cumin — 1 tsp
- Sweet paprika — 1 tsp
- Chilli flakes — 1/2 tsp
- Spring onions, sliced — 2
- Hard-boiled eggs, chopped — 2
- Green olives, chopped — 40 g (1/4 cup)
- Egg, beaten, for sealing/glazing — 1
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