Argentinean Empanadas (meat Pies)

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 refrigerated pie crusts
• 1 cup diced cooked beef or 1 cup cooked ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 1 tomato, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup sliced pimento stuffed olive
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

Recipe

• 1 if using frozen dough, allow to thaw.
• 2 cut pastry into rounds of any size from about 2 inches (5 cm) to 5 inches (12 cm) and set aside.
• 3 in a small skillet saute the beef, onion, and garlic in butter over a moderate flame for 5 minutes.
• 4 add the salt, pepper, thyme, cumin, cayenne, and tomato and reduce the heat to a simmer.
• 5 cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
• 6 soak the raisins in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly. add the raisins, olives, and eggs, and stir to combine.
• 7 divide the filling among the pastry rounds.
• 8 moisten the edges of the pastry with water or milk and fold in half over the meat, sealing the edges with the tines of a fork.
• 9 bake on an ungreased baking sheet in a preheated 400f (200c) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until well browned. serve hot or at room temperature. makes 6 to 15, depending on size.