Homemade Cuban Beef Empanadas Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking tray with a silicone mat, parchment paper, or aluminum foil and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it us with a spoon or rubber spatula, about 10 minutes.
Add onions and green peppers and cook until soft, about 5 minutes more.
Stir in tomato sauce, cumin, cayenne, garlic, oregano, salt and black pepper. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.
Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of meat mixture into the middle of the empanada wrapper, fold in half to form a half-moon; moisten the edges with water and pinch to seal or crimp edges with a fork.
With a pastry brush, lightly brush egg wash over the top side of the empanada dough. This encourages browning.
Place empanadas on a foil-lined sheet pan sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Bake Empanadas until crisp and golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes.

This recipe is easily doubled or tripled.
To Freeze Empanadas:
- Prepare the recipe as instructed. After the empanadas come out of the oven, allow them to cool completely.
- Flash freeze the empanadas on a rimmed baking tray in the freezer to prevent them from sticking together.
- Transfer the empanadas to a freezer safe container or zip-top bag.
To reheat, place frozen empanadas in a pre-heated 350 degrees F oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Empanadas may be frozen for up to 3 months.