Empanadas Cubanas

Ingredients

Dough

• 400 g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika (for the yellow colour)
• 100 g cold lard (or cold unsalted butter), cubed
• 1 egg (large)
• 150 ml cold water (more if needed)

Picadillo filling

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion (medium, finely chopped)
• 1 green pepper (finely chopped)
• 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 400 g ground beef (15 to 20 percent fat)
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 1 ripe tomato (large, chopped) or 100 g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 60 g pitted green olives (chopped)
• 40 g raisins
• 2 tablespoons capers (drained and chopped)
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine (or dry sherry, optional)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Black pepper

To assemble and fry

• 1 egg (large, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for sealing)
• 1 litre sunflower oil (or vegetable oil), for deep-frying

Method

Stage 1 - Dough

1. Whisk the flour, salt and paprika in a bowl.
2. Rub in the cold fat until you have rough pea-sized lumps.
3. Beat the egg with the cold water; pour in. Mix with a knife then bring together into a rough ball. Add a tablespoon more water if the dough won't come together.
4. Press into a flat disc; wrap and chill 30 minutes.

Stage 2 - Filling

1. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and green pepper; cook 6-7 minutes until soft.
3. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano and paprika; cook 1 minute.
4. Add the beef; break up with a spoon. Brown 5-6 minutes until no longer pink, crumbling as it cooks.
5. Stir in the tomato purée; cook 1 minute. Add the chopped tomato, olives, raisins, capers, wine if using, salt and pepper.
6. Simmer uncovered 8-10 minutes until thick and almost dry (any wet filling will leak in the fryer). The mixture should hold its shape when pressed against the side of the pan.
7. Cool fully on a wide plate. Filling must be at room temperature or cooler before filling.

Stage 3 - Shape

1. Divide the chilled dough into 12 equal pieces, about 50 g each.
2. Roll each piece into a thin round, about 14 cm across and 2 mm thick.
3. Place a heaped tablespoon of cooled filling in the centre.
4. Brush the egg wash around the edge of the round.
5. Fold over to a half-moon. Press the edges together firmly.
6. Crimp by pressing with a fork or by rolling and folding the edge (repulgue) for a classic look. Make sure the seal is complete: leaks ruin empanadas.
7. Place on a floured tray. Chill 15 minutes (helps them hold shape in the oil; optional but better).

Stage 4 - Fry

1. Heat 4 cm of oil in a deep pan to 180°C (a small piece of dough should bubble and brown in 30 seconds).
2. Lower 3-4 empanadas into the oil (don't crowd: oil temperature drops).
3. Fry 3-4 minutes a side, turning once, until deep gold and visibly blistered.
4. Lift onto kitchen paper.
5. Continue with the rest, keeping oil temperature steady.

Stage 5 - Serve

1. Eat hot, within 10 minutes of frying.
2. Serve with mojo, hot sauce or a wedge of lime.