These homemade Cuban empanadas are a delightful combination of savory beef and pork picadillo wrapped in a crispy, golden pastry. Prepare the filling and dough ahead of time for an easy and delicious meal that can be baked the next day. Perfect for a family dinner or a gathering with friends!
You can prepare everything ahead of time and bake the empanadas the next day.
I found the recipe for the dough and the recipe for the filling on a sassy spoon, hosted by Jamie Silva.
The Filling (Picadillo):
- 1 medium onion, cleaned and diced
- 1 medium green pepper, cleaned and diced
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 250g ground pork
- 250g ground beef
- 80ml dry white wine
- 150ml tomato purée
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 100ml black olives, pitted and halved
- Olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
The Dough:
- 125ml water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 500ml all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp pork lard
- 1 tsp salt
Method
The Filling (Picadillo):
- Heat a dash of olive oil over medium heat in a large pan.
- Add onions and green peppers, and sauté until softened.
- Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add ground meat and cook, breaking it apart, until no longer pink.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Stir in wine, tomato purée, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer for 12 minutes.
- Remove from the heat.
- Stir in olives.
- Let the mixture cool down and store in the refrigerator.
The Dough:
- In a saucepan, add water, cinnamon stick, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let it cool down.
- In a large bowl, add flour, lard, and salt. Gradually add the cooled mixture, a tablespoon at a time, and mix by hand.
- Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead for 8 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Place the dough back in the bowl, cover, and let it rest for 60 minutes.
- Cut the dough into 12 evenly sized pieces and roll them into balls. Roll each dough ball into a 12cm disc that’s 3mm thick.
This dough is so good I am adding it to me Back to Basics page.
Assembly and Baking:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (if baking the same day).
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of the filling into the center of each dough disc.
- Lightly brush the edges of the dough with water. Fold the top half of the circle over the filling, then seal with a fork. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Just before baking, brush the empanadas with a whisked egg.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
