Chilean Empanadas

I got the beef filling and dough recipe from Sophia Wirthlin, a native Chilean who is a professional cook that contributes regularly to the Chile missionary parents fb group. She says her recipe for beef filling and dough are from the most traditional Chilean empanada with the perfect dough and filling. We found the chicken filling recipe online, it's our favorite and David says it's a lot like what he had in Chile.

INGREDIENTS

For the Beef Pino (filling)

•    1 kilo or 2 pounds of ground beef

•    1 cup beef broth

•    3 large or 4 medium onions chopped into small cubes

•    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

•    2 tablespoons red pepper or paprika or Merken (Chilean smoked chili)

•    1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

•    salt and pepper

•    4 tablespoons oil

Optional,

•    20 black olives

•    40 raisins

•    4 hard-boiled eggs

Chicken filling (from Taste of Home)

1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken

2/3 cup shredded cheese (original recipe calls for Colby-Monterey Jack cheese; we used mozzarella and it was great)

3 Tbsp cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp chopped sweet red pepper

2 tsp chopped seeded jalapeno pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

For the dough,

•    1 cup milk

•    1 cup warm water

•    1 tablespoon salt

•    1 kilo or 2 pounds of all-purpose flour

•    4 egg yolks

•    180 grams/ 6,5 oz of melted shortening, warm

INSTRUCTIONS

It's best to make the beef Pino the day before.

1. In a large saucepan heat the oil and fry the meat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes, add the paprika, salt, pepper, and cumin, sauté a few minutes.

2. Add the broth and simmer 30 minutes over low heat. Add the onion and mix well and cook over medium heat until onion is tender about 30 minutes.

3. Add the flour and stir well and adjust seasoning if necessary, cook two more minutes. Cool and refrigerate.

For chicken filling mix all the ingredients. You'll likely want to multiply the chicken recipe, it's the favorite filling recipe.

For the dough.

1. Mix the flour and egg yolks, preferably in a stand mixer to incorporate. Add melted shortening and work a little more.

2. In a separate container add salt to hot water so it goes into solution and then add the milk and mix

Add the liquid to the dry ingredients slowly on low speed until the dough is soft and flexible. If needed, keep adding water. Mix minimally, it may be lumpy.

3. Cover dough with a moist cloth while making individual pieces. Work each piece individually, rolling until thin, cut in a circle about 7″ and fill with two tablespoons of Pino, a quarter of hard-boiled egg, olives and raisins if desired. Close smearing the edge with water, press firmly and make the folds. Brush with an egg white wash before baking.

4.  Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.

5.  Serve hot. To reheat, do it in the oven at the same temperature for 15 minutes.