Italian Ground Beef Empanadas

Method

Directions

1. 1
   Put 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan and heat to warm. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Set aside to rest.
2. 2
   Mix the ricotta cheese, pesto, and parmesan together. Crack fresh pepper on top of the mixture.
3. 3
   Roll out the prepared pastry dough and cut 3-4 inch diameter circles using a circular dough cutter (a drinking glass works well if you don't have any cutters on hand).
4. 4
   Take one of the circular pastry rounds and place a few tablespoons of the cheese and pesto mixture in the center. Add a few tablespoons of beef. Place another piece of puff pastry directly on top, sealing together the top and bottom pieces.
5. 5
   Place the empanadas on a baking sheet. Crimp the edges of each empanada with a fork.
6. 6
   Heat oven to 375°F. Brush tops of the empanadas lightly with milk (or egg yolk) and bake on top shelf of oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.