Beef Cheek & Egmont Empanadas

Beef Cheek Filling

• 2ea (400g) beef cheek
• 100g Mainland Salted Butter
• 100g port wine jelly
• 300g crushed tomatoes
• 100ml water 
• 100ml Anchor Blue Top Milk
• 50g rosemary, thyme & parsley stalks

Method

Seal beef cheeks in a hot frypan to seal in juices, set aside to rest.

Combine all ingredients with the beef cheeks in a covered oven tray and slow cook at 150°C for 4 hours. 

Remove from oven and remove herbs.

Break up the beef cheeks and bind with the cooking mixture. Season to taste ready to fill empanadas.

Empanada Dough

• 500g bakers flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp wagyu beef fat or vegetable shortening
• 200ml Anchor Blue Top Milk
• 125ml water
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 100g Mainland Egmont Grated Cheese 
•  Vegetable oil, for frying 

Method

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.

Gently mix the vegetable shortening into the flour.

Place the milk and water in a saucepan and heat until almost boiling.

Stir the hot liquid into the flour mixture. Add more water (1 tablespoon at a time) if the mixture seems too dry and crumbly, alternatively add more flour if the mixture is too wet and sticky.

Knead dough gently until well mixed – do not overwork the dough.

Divide dough into 18 portions and roll each piece into a ball. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Roll each ball of dough into a 6–7 inch circle.