Spicy Beef Empanadas

This is an easy version for baked empanadas. I used refrigerated pie crust dough and simply rolled it out to remove any creases and wrinkles. I have a dumpling maker similar to this one. It made quick work of making the empanadas.

For the filling:

1 T. olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 t. minced garlic

1 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced

1 pound ground chuck

1 T. chili powder

1 t. ground coriander

1 t. dried thyme

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 package prepared pie dough (2 crusts total)

1 egg

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute' until softened, 3 - 4 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno and saute' until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Add the ground chuck and cook until well browned, 5 - 7 minutes. Add the chili powder, coriander, and dried thyme. Stir to combine. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the shredded cheese and stir until it is well mixed with the ground chuck mixture.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

For the dough:

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to flatten any creases. Using a cookie cutter, a rim of a glass or anything about 3 inches in diameter cut circles from the dough. You may need to flour the cutter in between uses.  You can reroll the scraps of pie dough to cut more circles.

Place 2 T. of filling in the center of the dough. Brush one side with water then fold the dough over the filling pressing gently to seal.

Use the tines of a fork to seal the edge of the dough. Repeat with the remaining dough circles and filling.

If you'd like, at this point, you can freeze in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.

Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheets.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 T. water to combine. Brush the egg wash onto each empanada.

Bake until golden brown, 15 - 17 minutes. Cool at least 10 - 12 minutes before serving. You can serve either warm or at room temperature.