Marvivienda

The Kitchen

Homemade empanadas are a wonderful make-ahead dish — the kids love to help, and it is an easy way to slip an organ-meat blend into dinner. You can also skip the pastry and serve the filling over rice.

Ingredients

Pastry

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 stick grass-fed butter, very cold or frozen, cubed
• 1 pasture-raised egg
• ½–¾ cup ice-cold water (or raw milk)

Filling

• 2 tbsp tallow
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 16 oz grass-fed beef (or beef with organs)
• 2 small Yukon potatoes, finely chopped or grated
• 1 large carrot, finely chopped or grated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt, pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, and a pinch of cumin
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• Egg wash, for the pastry

Method

1. In a food processor, mix the flour and salt, then add the butter, egg, and ice water (start with ½ cup) until the dough forms a ball. Fold into two discs, wrap, and rest in the fridge.
2. Melt the tallow over medium-high, cook the onion until translucent, then brown the beef. Add the potatoes, carrot, and garlic, and season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, and cumin. Stir in the tomato sauce, cook down, and cool the filling.
3. Roll the pastry, cut into rounds, spoon in the filling, fold, and crimp the edges. Brush with egg wash and bake at 400°F until golden, about 20–25 minutes. Buen provecho.