A few Fridays ago, people across South and Latin America celebrated National Empanada Day. Of course, a dish with roots in medieval Spain, influenced by Catalan, Italian, French, and Arabian flavours, is bound to have as much contention as it does fillings.

Empanadas are popular in Argentina, Brazil, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Each country, or region, has its way of making these savoury turnovers. You can bake or fry them; both methods yield delicious results. For our recipe today, we use a shortcut — store-bought puff pastry dough. This isn’t Top Chef. No one will judge you for not making the dough from scratch unless you’re serving them to someone from one of the countries previously listed. Then, may the odds be ever in your favour!

For those of you who have tried homemade cocktail patties, for whatever reason, but can’t seem to get the hang of laminating dough, these easy fried empanadas are worthy substitutes and will satisfy.

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground beef

1 cup Gouda, cut into small chunks

¾ cup chopped white onion

¾ cup chopped red bell pepper

½ cup green or black olives, sliced (optional)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cumin

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 sheets of puff pastry dough

1 jalapeño, deseeded and minced

1 egg

Flour for dusting the kneading surface

A small amount of water to seal the empanadas

Method:

Step 1

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 425°F.

Step 2

In a medium-sized skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender. Add the garlic, bell peppers and jalapeño; sauté until fragrant.

Step 3

Add the ground beef and cook until well-browned. Add the dried herbs and seasonings. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool.

Step 4

Roll out the puff pastry dough to flatten any creases on a lightly floured surface. Cut circles from the dough using a cookie cutter, a small bowl, or the rim of a glass (about 3 inches in diameter). Chef’s tip: Flour the cookie cutter or glass between cuts to avoid the dough sticking. Reroll the scraps of dough once to cut more circles.

Step 5

Add shredded cheese and sliced olives to the beef mixture.

Step 6

Place two tablespoons of beef filling in the centre of a dough circle and top with an equal amount (four or five small cubes) of cheese. Brush one side of the dough with water, then fold the dough over the filling, pressing gently to seal. Use the tines of a fork to seal the edge of the dough properly. Repeat with the remaining dough circles and filling.

Step 7

Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheets. If the dough feels sticky, refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.

Step 8

In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash onto each empanada.

Step 9

Bake until golden-brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Photos: Mexican Please, Pinterest, and My Recipes