Fried Empanadas

Dough:

  • 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ cup shortening
  • 1 ¼ cups water, or as needed

Filling:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 ½ pounds ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup raisins
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 2 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped

For Frying:

  • 1 quart oil for frying, or as needed

Make the dough: Stir flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Use a fork to stir in water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the mixture comes together. Pat into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Make the filling while dough is chilling: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beef, paprika, cumin, pepper, and salt; cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess grease, then stir in the raisins and vinegar. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Remove dough and filling from the refrigerator. Form dough into twenty-four 2-inch balls. Stir hard-cooked eggs into filling. Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). While the oil is heating, roll one ball dough on a floured surface into a thin circle. Spoon some filling onto the center, fold dough into a half-moon shape, and press the edges with your fingers to seal. Repeat to fill and form remaining empanadas. Working in batches, fry 1 to 2 empanadas at a time in hot oil until browned, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

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