Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (very cold, cubed)
  • 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 5–7 tablespoons Ice Water
  • 1 Large Egg (for egg wash)
  • 1 tablespoon Water (for egg wash)
  • 1 pound Ground Beef (85/15 ratio preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 large Yellow Onion (finely diced)
  • 1/2 Red Bell Pepper (finely diced)
  • 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
  • 1/2 cup Diced Tomatoes (canned, drained)
  • 1/4 cup Manzanilla Olives (pitted, sliced)
  • 2 tablespoons Raisins
  • 1/2 cup Beef Stock or Water
  • Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté the diced onion and bell pepper until soft (5–7 minutes). Add garlic, cumin, and oregano, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Add ground beef to the pan. Break it up and cook until fully browned. Drain off any excess fat.
  3. Stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, olives, drained raisins, and beef stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
  4. Cook the filling mixture down for 10–15 minutes until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the filling is thick and cohesive. Season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer the Picadillo filling to a shallow dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until completely cool.
  5. In a large bowl or food processor, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
  6. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are pea-sized.
  7. Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together into a shaggy ball. Do not overmix. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  8. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ⅛-inch thickness. Use a 3.5 to 4-inch round cutter to cut 12 circles. Re-roll scraps as needed.
  9. Place 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of cold Picadillo filling in the centre of each dough circle. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly to seal and use a fork to crimp the edges tightly.
  10. Whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon of water to create the egg wash. Brush the tops of the empanadas lightly. Place 4–6 empanadas in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway through, until deep golden brown and crispy. Serve warm.