Chilean Beef Empanada (Empanada de pino) — Baked pastry filled with beef, onion, egg, olive, and raisins

• 750 gall-purpose flour
• 15 gfine sea salt
• 6 gbaking powder
• 150 gpork lard (melted and cooled until warm, not hot)
• 240 mlwhole milk (warmed to about 40 C)
• 120 mlwarm water (warmed to about 40 C)
• 800 gyellow onions (finely diced)
• 600 gbeef chuck (finely diced by hand into 5 mm cubes)
• 2 tspají de color (Chilean sweet paprika)
• 2 tspground cumin
• 2 tspdried oregano
• 1 tspfreshly ground black pepper
• 120 mlbeef stock
• 6hard-boiled eggs (peeled and halved lengthwise)
• 12black olives (preferably whole Chilean-style olives with pits)
• 90 graisins
• 1eggs

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pino first so it has time to cool and firm. Melt 30 g lard in a wide skillet over medium heat, add the diced onions and 12 g salt, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the onions are soft, glossy, and lightly sweet but not browned.

2. 2

   Stir in the beef chuck and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking up any clumps while keeping the small diced texture. Add the ají de color, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and beef stock, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the mixture is juicy but not soupy.

3. 3

   Transfer the pino to a shallow tray and cool it completely before shaping the empanadas. For the cleanest Chilean empanada de pino, refrigerate the filling for at least 2 hours, because warm or loose filling can tear the dough and leak during baking.

4. 4

   Prepare the dough by whisking the flour, 15 g salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Pour in the warm melted lard, warm milk, and warm water, then mix until a firm dough forms and no dry flour remains.

5. 5

   Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth, elastic, and no longer shaggy. Cover it with a clean towel and rest it for 20 minutes so the gluten relaxes and the rounds can be rolled thin without springing back.

6. 6

   Divide the dough into 12 equal portions of about 105 g each and roll each portion into an 18 cm round. Keep the unused dough covered while you work, because the edges dry quickly and become harder to seal.

7. 7

   Place about 115 g chilled pino in the center of each dough round, leaving a 2.5 cm border all around. Add 1 hard-boiled egg half, 1 black olive, and about 7.5 g raisins to each empanada, arranging them so every bite has the classic sweet-savory Chilean balance.

8. 8

   Moisten the edge of each round with 5 ml water, fold the dough over the filling, and press firmly to seal. Fold the edge over itself in a rope-like repulgue or press with the side of your hand to make a secure Chilean bakery-style seam.

9. 9

   Heat the oven to 200 C and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk 1 egg with 15 ml milk, brush the empanadas evenly with the egg wash, and prick the top of each empanada once with a toothpick to let steam escape.

10. 10

    Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the trays once, until the empanadas are deep golden and the bottoms feel firm. Rest them for 8 minutes before serving, because the pino stays very hot and the pastry sets as it cools slightly.