3cupsall purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK)
1teaspoonsalt
210milliliterwater - chilled
1teaspoonwhite vinegar
1mediumegg
50gramssuet (beef fat) - grated
TO MAKE THE BEEF FILLING:
110gramssuet (beef fat)
6clovesgarlic - finely chopped
1largewhite onion - finely chopped
1poundground beef (minced beef)
1smallred chili (red chilli in British English) - deseeded and finely chopped
90gramsraisins - (optional)
110gramsblack olives - pitted
1teaspoonpaprika
1teaspoonsalt
2mediumegg - hard-boiled, finely chopped
1handfulparsley - flat-leaf, chopped finely
¼cupmilk - for brushing pastry
Instructions
To Make The Empanada Dough:
Combine salt and flour in a bowl. Make a well in the middle, then add the egg, water and grated suet. Mix with a spoon until well combined.
Knead dough on a lightly floured workbench for three minutes, allow to rest for five minutes and then knead again for about five minutes or until the dough is soft and elastic. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.
Roll out the dough to about 2 millimeter ( 1/16th-inch) thick. Using a saucer as a guide, cut 12 circles from the dough. You may need to re-roll scraps once or twice to get all twelve circles.
To Make The Beef Filling:
Melt the suet in a frying pan over low heat, then strain. Discard the solids and return the liquid fat to the pan.
Increase the heat to medium, then add the garlic and fry for one minute. Next, add the onions, frying for 3-4 minutes and then add the beef, stirring to brown on all sides. Cook for five minutes. Stir in the chili, raisins, olives, paprika and salt and cook for a further five minutes.
Remove from the heat. Mix in the hardboiled egg and the parsley and leave aside to cool.
To Assemble:
Preheat the oven to 250°C (500°F).
Put approximately two tablespoons of mixture into the center of each pastry circle, plus one of the olives. Fold the pastry over and seal by pushing the sides together. You can use the edge of a fork to make a crimped pattern on edge. Brush pastry with milk and place on a baking paper-lined tray.
Reduce the oven heat to 230°C (450°F) and cook the empanada for twenty minutes. You may need to turn the tray around after the first ten minutes to ensure the pastry is cooked evenly.
Serve hot or cold, and watch out for escaping olives!