These are baked hand pies filled with seasoned ground pork, raisins, and chopped hard-boiled egg — a Chilean-style filling wrapped in a buttery shortcrust. The honest reason to make them: the filling comes together in under 15 minutes of active cooking, and the dough is a simple cut-in-butter style that doesn’t require chilling before you roll it.
Shopping notes
- Ground pork: Standard supermarket ground pork works fine here. Avoid anything labeled “extra lean” — you need some fat to keep the filling moist inside the pastry.
- Raisins: If yours have dried out in the pantry, soak them in warm water for 5 minutes and drain before adding. Dried cranberries are a workable swap if that’s what you have.
- Smoked paprika: The recipe calls for smoked, not sweet. They taste quite different — check the label before you grab it off the shelf.
- Hard-boiled egg: One egg, pre-cooked and chopped. If you’re short on time, skip the egg wash and use a splash of milk instead — the color will be slightly paler but the crust still crisps up.
The technique that matters
The single most important step is letting the filling cool completely before you assemble the empanadas. Hot filling steams the raw dough from the inside, which makes the bottom of each empanada soggy and causes the seams to split open in the oven. Spread the cooked pork mixture onto a wide plate or sheet pan after it comes off the heat — it cools in about 10 minutes that way, much faster than leaving it in the pan. While it cools, make your dough. That sequencing keeps the total time tight without cutting corners on the result. Also, press the sealed edges firmly with a fork rather than just pinching — fork-crimped seams hold better at 200°C and you won’t lose filling to leaks.
If something goes sideways
- Dough tears when rolling: The dough is too dry. Press the torn edges back together and add a few drops of ice water to the remaining dough before rolling the next piece.
- Filling leaks out during baking: Seams weren’t pressed firmly enough, or the filling was still warm when assembled. Press edges with a fork all the way around and make sure filling is fully cooled next time.
- Bottoms are pale and soft: Move the baking tray to a lower oven rack for the last 5 minutes. A dark-colored metal tray also conducts heat better than a light one.
- Pork filling tastes flat: Ground pork needs salt to come alive. Taste the filling before it cools and adjust — the spices alone won’t carry it if it’s under-seasoned.
- Empanadas burst open on top: Overfilled. Use a heaped tablespoon of filling per empanada, not more. Leave at least a 1.5 cm border of bare dough around the edge for a proper seal.
Storage and reheating
Cooled empanadas keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, put them on a wire rack set over a baking tray in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 10–12 minutes — this keeps the crust crisp instead of turning it rubbery, which is what a microwave will do. For freezing, arrange fully baked and cooled empanadas in a single layer on a tray, freeze until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a zip-lock bag. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 180°C for 18–20 minutes. Skip reheating in the microwave — not worth the soggy crust.
Minced Pork and Raisin Empanadas de Pino
Ingredients
Empanada Filling
2 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin for richer flavor
1 medium onion - finely chopped
300 grams ground pork (minced pork) - preferably organic
1 teaspoon cumin - freshly ground for more depth
1 teaspoon paprika - smoked variety for a hint of smokiness
1 teaspoon oregano - dried
½ cup raisins - plump and juicy- 1 unit hard-boiled egg - chopped
1 pinch salt - to taste
1 pinch ground black pepper - to taste
Pastry
2 cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK) - sifted- ½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter - cold and cubed- ⅓ cup ice water - as needed for dough
1 medium egg - beaten, for egg wash
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
- Add the minced pork to the skillet, cooking until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Stir in turmeric, paprika, and oregano, allowing the spices to cook into the pork for an additional 2 minutes. Add the raisins and chopped hard-boiled egg, mixing well. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and cool completely.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F). To prepare the pastry, combine flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough begins to come together. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead gently until smooth.
- Roll the dough into a log and cut it into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. Spoon equal portions of the pork mixture onto one half of each dough circle.
- Brush the edges with water and fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges firmly with a fork to seal. Place empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush tops with beaten egg.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I make the filling the night before?
Yes, and it actually helps. Store the cooled filling in a sealed container in the fridge overnight, then make the dough fresh the next day when you’re ready to assemble. Cold filling is easier to handle and seals better than warm.
How do I know the pork filling is cooked through safely?
Ground pork must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) — never serve it pink. Cook the mince over medium heat, breaking it up constantly, until there’s no pink remaining and any juices run clear; that takes 8–10 minutes in a hot skillet.
Can I use store-bought pastry dough instead of making it from scratch?
Yes — a refrigerated shortcrust or pie dough works and cuts prep time significantly. Roll it to about 1/8 inch thick and cut circles roughly 6 inches in diameter; the filling quantity in the recipe stays the same.
If you liked this one
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- Colombian Chicken Cheese Empanadas
- Savory Pork Apple Pasties
- Moroccan Lamb Apricot Briouats
