BEEF GAUCHO

Beef Gaucho image

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h10m

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (81 percent lean)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and black pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper
1 1/4 pounds jumbo yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons Spanish paprika
One 14-ounce package empanada dough, such as Goya Discos (see Cook's Note)
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Steps:

Brown the ground beef in a saute pan over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Once the beef is browned, add the oregano and a pinch of salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Add the sliced onions and cumin and cook until the onions are translucent. Stir in the Spanish paprika. Simmer the filling over low heat for 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Let cool.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling into a disc of empanada dough. Fold the disc in half and close it by tightly twisting the edges. Repeat with the remaining filling.
Heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees F in a deep-fryer or heavy pot. In batches, fry the empanadas until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes.