Wood-Fired Empanadas

Super Bowl Sunday is just 2 days away, and we’re here to offer some inspiration on how to up your game by using your wood-fired oven to create some delicious food everyone can enjoy, without being bogged down with chef duties during the big game!

We love this empanada recipe because it is so easy to make, and it can be prepared ahead of time. There are also countless ways to change it up – you can use different types of meat, seasonings, vegetables, etc. So fire up your oven, create your own filling or use our recipe below, and start making some empanadas!

Ingredients:

• Empanada Dough (La Saltena & Goya are both good brands)
• 1 lb. Ground Beef
• 2 Onions, diced
• 4 tbsp. Butter
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 1 tsp. Cumin
• 1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup Green Olives, pitted & diced
• 2 Hard Boiled Eggs, diced
• 1 Egg w/water for egg wash

Directions:

1. Fire your oven to 400F.
2. Place a large cast iron skillet just inside the oven to heat up. Melt the butter in the skillet, add the onions, and move the skillet inside the oven close to the fire. Sauté until just before they begin to turn golden, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the beef to the skillet and season with the paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, breaking up the beef, and place inside the oven close to fire, stirring occasionally.
4. Once the beef has browned, remove from oven, allow the fire to die down, and allow the meat mixture to cool. Stir in the chopped olives and hard boiled eggs and refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Separate the empanada shells and place on a lightly floured surface. Place a spoonful of the meat mixture on each round. Avoid reaching the edges of the pastry with the filling because its oiliness will prevent good sealing.
6. Slightly wet the edge of the pastry, fold in two and stick edges together. Seal by twisting edge between thumb and index finger, making sure to add pressure before releasing the pinch and moving on to the next curl.
7. Once the fire has completely died and the temperature has reached 400F, remove the ashes and sweep the floor. Place empanadas on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Be sure to prick each empanada with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking. *At this point, you can cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to bake.
8. Once you are ready to bake, simply glaze the empanadas with the egg wash and place the baking sheets inside the oven, using the insulated door to maintain a steady temperature and moisture. Bake until golden, about 10-12 minutes.