Spicy Beef Empanadas with Healthy Oat Dough

Ingredients

For the Dough
 3 cups (270 g) whole oats
 1 cup (120 g) whole-wheat flour
 ¼ cup (57 g) lard or butter
 1 ½ tsp salt
 1 cup (240 mL) boiling water
For the Filling:
 ½ pound (450 g) ground beef
 Salt and pepper
 ½ cup diced onion
 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
 4 garlic cloves, minced
 2 tsp chopped thyme
 1 tsp oregano
 1 tbsp tablespoon tomato paste
 1 tbsp pimentón dulce or sweet paprika
 large pinch of cayenne pepper
 beef or chicken broth, as necessary, or use water
 ½ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
 2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and roughly chopped

Directions

Make the Oat Flour:
1

Place 3 cups whole oats in a food processor or blender. Blend until you have a fine flour.

2

Measure out 2 ¼ cups of the oat flour and mix it with 1 cup of whole-wheat flour in a medium bowl.

Make the Dough:
3

Put 1 cups boiling water, 1/4 cup butter or lard, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large mixing bowl. Stir to melt lard and dissolve salt.

4

Cool to room temperature, then gradually stir in the flour until you have a firm dough.

5

Knead gently for 2-3 minutes, then wrap the dough and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.

Make the Filling:
6

Season chopped beef generously with salt and pepper and set aside for 10 minutes.

7

Melt 3 tablespoons lard or oil in a large pan. Add the beef and fry until nicely browned, about 5 minutes, then add the onion and cook for the 10 minutes more.

8

Add the potatoes, garlic, thyme, and oregano, season again with salt and pepper, then stir in the tomato paste, pimenton, and cayenne, then a cup of broth or water. Turn the heat down to a simmer.

9

Simmer for about 10 minutes, until meat and potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened.

10

Taste and add salt and cayenne according to your preference. Stir in the scallions, then let the filling cool.

11

Once filling is cool, stir in the sliced hard-cooked eggs.

Shape the Empanadas
12

Divide the chilled dough into 16 equal balls. Roll each piece into a circle a little larger than the palm of your hand (about 5 inches / 12.5 centimeters across).

13

Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each circle.

14

Moisten the outer edge of each round with water, then fold each circle into a half-circle, pressing the edges together with the tines of a fork.

15

Moisten the outer edge of each round with water, then fold each circle into a half-circle, pressing the edges together with the tines of a fork.

Spicy Beef Empanadas with Healthy Oat Dough

These empanadas are a healthy version of the beloved dish in two ways: first, the dough is made with 70% oat flour and 30% whole-wheat flour. Second, they are baked, not fried, making them both healthier and easier to create at home. 

Ingredients

For the Dough
 3 cups (270 g) whole oats
 1 cup (120 g) whole-wheat flour
 ¼ cup (57 g) lard or butter
 1 ½ tsp salt
 1 cup (240 mL) boiling water
For the Filling:
 ½ pound (450 g) ground beef
 Salt and pepper
 ½ cup diced onion
 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
 4 garlic cloves, minced
 2 tsp chopped thyme
 1 tsp oregano
 1 tbsp tablespoon tomato paste
 1 tbsp pimentón dulce or sweet paprika
 large pinch of cayenne pepper
 beef or chicken broth, as necessary, or use water
 ½ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
 2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and roughly chopped

Directions

Make the Oat Flour:
1

Place 3 cups whole oats in a food processor or blender. Blend until you have a fine flour.

2

Measure out 2 ¼ cups of the oat flour and mix it with 1 cup of whole-wheat flour in a medium bowl.

Make the Dough:
3

Put 1 cups boiling water, 1/4 cup butter or lard, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large mixing bowl. Stir to melt lard and dissolve salt.

4

Cool to room temperature, then gradually stir in the flour until you have a firm dough.

5

Knead gently for 2-3 minutes, then wrap the dough and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.

Make the Filling:
6

Season chopped beef generously with salt and pepper and set aside for 10 minutes.

7

Melt 3 tablespoons lard or oil in a large pan. Add the beef and fry until nicely browned, about 5 minutes, then add the onion and cook for the 10 minutes more.

8

Add the potatoes, garlic, thyme, and oregano, season again with salt and pepper, then stir in the tomato paste, pimenton, and cayenne, then a cup of broth or water. Turn the heat down to a simmer.

9

Simmer for about 10 minutes, until meat and potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened.

10

Taste and add salt and cayenne according to your preference. Stir in the scallions, then let the filling cool.

11

Once filling is cool, stir in the sliced hard-cooked eggs.

Shape the Empanadas
12

Divide the chilled dough into 16 equal balls. Roll each piece into a circle a little larger than the palm of your hand (about 5 inches / 12.5 centimeters across).

13

Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each circle.

14

Moisten the outer edge of each round with water, then fold each circle into a half-circle, pressing the edges together with the tines of a fork.

15

Moisten the outer edge of each round with water, then fold each circle into a half-circle, pressing the edges together with the tines of a fork.

Tip: Instead of dried cranberries, substitute your favourite dried fruit. For a thicker, chewier oatmeal, use a 9 x 9-inch baking dish instead of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Yields: 8-10 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes