EMPANADAS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound 80/20 ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons sugar
salt and pepper
2 packages Goya turnover/empanada dough (20 total) 
20 green Spanish olives, rinsed and cut in half
oil for frying, if desired

Heat olive oil over medium/high heat.  Cook ground beef until just before done, a little pink is ok.  Transfer beef to a plate with a slotted spoon leaving oil and fat in the pan.
Add onion and pepper to pan, cook on medium for about 6 minutes until tender. Add seasonings and cook for about 1 minute.
Add broth, reserved beef, sugar and 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until most of the liquid had evaporated.
Chill mixture for 3 hours or up to 3 days before making empanadas. 

Filling when done, read to be chilled!

Place an empanada dough on an empanada press (if you don't have a press use your hands or a fork to seal).  Scoop 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle of the dough.  Add 2 halves of olives on top of the filling.  Dip your finger in a cup of water and smear water around half of the inside edge of the empanada.  Close the press to seal.

sealed and ready to cook!

To fry:  Heat oil to 350º and fry empanadas until golden brown, flipping once.

To bake:  Bake empanadas at 375º for 25 minutes or until edges are browned.

Serve empanadas as is or with cilantro lime cream sauce we also enjoy these with a side of stewed beans!

Tips:

I used a jumbo size 6.25" empanada press.  It was too large for the discs but we made it work.  If you don't have a press, wet the dough as directed and fold the edges in with your fingers or use a fork to seal.

I used a pampered chef medium size cookie scoop for the filling.  It is exactly 2 tablespoons.

Make sure you chill the filling.  If you don't you will have a greasy mess trying to seal the empanadas.  The fat chills with the filling and reheats when cooking them to rehydrate the filling so it's not dry!

We baked 10 and fried 10 to see which way we liked better and frying was favored by all.  Baked was still good if it's your only option.