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Cuban Beef Empanadas

Budget-friendly and full of flavour, these empanadas start with a filling of beef mince, cured chorizo and red capsicum, spiced with cumin and smoked paprika. Currants and diced tomatoes add a gentle sweetness, and the mixture is simmered until most of the liquid has evaporated so the pastry stays crisp rather than soggy. Rounds of shortcrust pastry are folded over the filling, sealed with a fork, brushed with egg and sprinkled with polenta before baking until golden. Served with sriracha and lime wedges, they make a generous, economical meal, and 500 grams of mince stretches a very long way.
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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 cured chorizo sausage around 170g finely chopped
  • 1 large red capsicum finely chopped
  • 500 g beef mince
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 c currants
  • 400 g can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 c water
  • 9 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry
  • 1 egg beaten lightly
  • 2 tbsp polenta
  • sriracha and lime wedges to serve

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two large oven trays with baking paper.
  2. Heat oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add onion; cook for 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, chorizo and capsicum; cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until capsicum is softened.
  3. Add beef to pan; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any clumps, for 10 minutes or until browned.
  4. Stir in cumin and paprika; cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add currants, tomatoes, tomato paste and the water. Bring to the boil; cook for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid is evaporated and the mixture is thickened. Leave to cool.
  5. Cut an 18cm round from each pastry sheet. Place an eighth of the beef filling in the centre of each pastry round. Brush a little egg around edge of pastry. Fold each pastry round in half to enclose filling. Use a fork to press around edges to seal (alternatively, pleat into a neat pattern). Place on lined trays; brush top with egg, then sprinkle with polenta.
  6. Bake empanadas for 30 minutes or until golden; check underneath to ensure pastry is golden
  7. Serve empanadas with sriracha and line wedges.
  8. Tip: If you have any leftover empanadas, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, then warm in a preheated 180°C oven; or wrap individually in plastic wrap, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Notes

Source: Beau's Kitchen