Jugosas Empanadas Criollas Argentinas (Juicy Argentine Creole Empanadas)

       Dough:
  1 kg White flour (2 lb)
  1    Egg
       Salt
       Water
250 g  Grasa de pella (1/2 lb)
       Filling:
  2 lb Veal beef, tenderloin
       - in preference;
       - sliced 5 mm thick
  2 lg Onions; minced
  2 tb Paprika
  1 tb Crushed red pepper flakes
  2 c Grasa de pella
      Salt

The key point of this recipe is the so called "grasa de pella." It is
a liquid fat obtained by melting in a skillet pieces of veal fat you
can ask to your butcher. They discard these pieces of fat after
trimming the meat for steaks. At the end of process, filter the
liquid fat through a tea colander to eliminate solids. Producing the
ingredient in this way instead of purchasing it, guarantees the
homemade taste and avoids unpleasant surprises.

Dough: 

Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Pour in the tepid liquid
"grasa de pella", the entire egg, and water until reasonable well
combined. Turn out on a floured surface and knead until smooth. Leave
15 minutes to rest covered with a moisted cloth. Roll on the dough
with a knead-stick stretching until 3 mm thick. Cut circles
aproximately 5" in diameter.

Filling:

With a sharp knife cut meat in small 5 mm cubes. It can be used
minced meat from the butcher but this is not the right "criollo"
way.

Heat the 2 large cups of "grasa de pella" in a saucepan until liquid.
Saute in it the chopped onion until soft but not brown. Retire from
heat and add the chopped meat, paprika, crushed red pepper, and salt
to taste. Turn for mixing very well. Let the filling become cold and
then refrigerate until it solidifies. This is the secret for juicy
empanadas.

Final Setup:

Place a portion of filling in the center of each circle of dough and
add a green olive without core. Lightly brush the edges with water
and fold the dough over the filling. Crimp the edges securely by
pressing them with a fork or make overlapping small folds along the
line of union of  the edges as a sort of seam called "repulgue". Make
sure it remains securely closed.

To Bake:

Preheat the oven to 375 F (180 C). Arrange the empanadas on a
buttered cookie sheet. Brush the tops lightly with egg yolk or butter
and bake until light brown, aproximately 15 minutes.

To Saute:

Heat enough oil to cover the empanadas in a saucepan over high heat.
When very hot, sink the empanadas until light brown, aproximately
5 minutes. Verify the temperature of oil. It must be very hot. Throw
a small piece of bread into the pan to check it. The bread will be
surrounded by bubbles when oil is ready.

In both ways of cooking wait 15 minutes before eating. The filling
has a high thermal inertia and burning your tongue will not help to
enjoy this delicious typical Argentine meal.