Cuban Picadillo Empanadas (Shellfish-Free)

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 190°C.
2. 2In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the about 450 g of ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it is no longer pink and is nicely browned, about 5-7 minutes.
3. 3Add the chopped 1 medium onion and the chopped 1/2 medium green bell pepper to the skillet with the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
4. 4Stir in the 3 cloves of minced garlic, the about 225 g of tomato sauce, the 1/4 cup of green olives, the 1/4 cup of raisins, the 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, the 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Bring this mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the flavors have blended together. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the picadillo cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
5. 5Lay out the 12 count empanada dough discs. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cooled picadillo filling onto the center of each disc. Fold each disc in half to create a half-moon shape, pressing the edges together. Crimp the edges firmly with the tines of a fork to seal the filling inside.
6. 6In a small bowl, whisk the 1 large egg until it is smooth. Brush the tops of each sealed empanada with the egg wash. Place the prepared empanadas onto a baking sheet. You do not need to line the baking sheet as no ingredients for lining are provided.
7. 7Bake the empanadas in the preheated oven at 190°C for 20-25 minutes, or until they are puffed up and a deep golden brown color. Remove them from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before serving.

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