Recipes from Argentina

Easy Empanadas

Crust:
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 square butter or margarine

Cut butter into flour mixture. Add egg and enough water to make a manageable crust. Roll thin and cut in circles the size of saucers.

Filling:
1 lb. ground beef
2 cups stewed tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
mushrooms
chopped green peppers
onions
salt and pepper

Brown ground beef and mushrooms, chopped green peppers, and onions, and salt and pepper to taste. Add stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook slowly for about 5 minutes. Add, if desired, diced cheese and/or diced green or black olives.

Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of a circle of crust dough. Moisten the edges of the dough, fold one side over the other and seal by pressing with fingers. Fry in about 2 to 3 inches of hot vegetable oil.

A favorite way to prepare these in Argentina is to add a teaspoonful of chopped hard-cooked egg on top of the filling just before sealing. Jams, jellies, cheeses, or creamed corn can also be used for the filling. They’re all delicious!

Humitas (Sautéed Corn)

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

2 1/2 cups corn kernels

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup milk

Melt butter in pan. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 5 more minutes. Add corn, salt, sugar, and milk. Cook over low heat for 40 minutes, stirring often. Serves 3–4.