Meat Filled Pies

FILLING:
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup beef broth or water
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup seedless raisins, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes and drained thoroughly
1 tsp dried hot pepper flakes
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin seed
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 hard cooked eggs, each cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
6 pitted green olives, quartered

DOUGH:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
10 Tbs butter cut into 1/4 in. cubes
1/3 cup cold water

Begin with the filling. Combine the onions, olive oil, and beef broth or water in a skillet and boil over high heat until the liquid is evaporated. Add the meat and cook, stirring constantly, until brown. Stir in the raisins, hot pepper flakes, paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper. Set the filling aside.

To make the dough, combine the flour, butter and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the flour and butter together until they are blended and look like coarse meal. Add the water and mix until the dough can be formed into a compact ball. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, making a rough circle about 1/8 in. thick. As you roll the dough lift it up occasionally and dust underneath with flour to prevent sticking to the work surface. Cut into rounds about 5 in. in diameter with a cookie cutter or empty tin can of the right size, or using a plate or saucer of the right size as a guide, cut the circles with a knife. Gather the resulting scraps of dough, roll and repeat until you have 12 to 14 circles.

Place about 1 1/2 Tbs of the filling in the center of each circle, leaving the edges of the dough exposed around it. Top the filling with a piece of egg and 2 pieces of olive, and moisten the exposed dough with a finger dipped in water. Fold the empanada in half to form a crescent and press the edges firmly together. Decorate the edges of the empanadas by pressing the dough with the tines of a fork, or by pinching with the fingers. Arrange the empanadas on an un greased baking sheet and bake them in the middle of a pre-heated 400F oven for about 5 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. With a spatula transfer to a heated platter and serve immediately.

TIP: These may be made in a smaller size suitable for hors d'oeuvre. Cut into 3-inch (8 cm) rounds, and use about 1 tsp of filling per empanada.