Empanada Recipe (Meat Filling)

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 lbs ground beef (not very lean meat—you need the fat for the juices to flow, very lean meat results in dry empanadas)
11/2 tsp each: oregano, basil, paprika (or sweet red pepper powder)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
(some people replace the above by using the "Pizza Spices" combination—already mixed for you by manufacturer—found in some supermarkets amongst spices)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 hardboiled eggs, chopped (optional)
½ C olives (optional)
½ C raisins (optional)
1 C of boiled potatoes, chopped in small cubes (that you have cooked separately and add at the end, after cooking meat and onions)
1 C chopped green onions

Cover bottom of a saucepan with ¼ inch oil (generally, not olive but rather canola, corn, etc.) Cook onion until transparent. Add meet in a ball, slowly break the ball, mixing with the onion, stirring every now and then (NOT CONTINUOUSLY) and let cook, medium heat until brown (but not dark). After ground beef is cooked, turn heat off. Add spices, olives, raisins, hardboiled eggs, potatoes, and finally, green onions.

This is enough for 24 empanada discs. Place a tablespoon of the meat mix in the center, fold in half so that borders of a circle meet (and you have now a half circle shape, and close by folding edges with fingers or using a fork. Deep fry or bake (depending on the kind of disc you have bought/made). Baked empanadas require 450 oven, bake until golden in a greased and floured pan.

There are many other fillings that have become popular lately (spinach, capresse—like the salad: tomato and mozzarella cheese with basil-chicken, corn, ham and cheese..).

Finally, some "die hard" empanada lovers buy a piece of meat (chuck or something a little better, but not sirloin) and chop the meat by hand, using a good chopping knife. This results in tastier filling (rarely found these days, only a few gourmet empanada-specialty restaurants carry them in Argentina).