Chilean Meat Pies (Empanadas Chilenas)

Meat filling: (Must be made long enough before hand to allow to fully cool. It's best if it's made a day before and refrigerated overnight.)

Mix all ingredients and cook the meat mixture in a stew pot until cooked medium to medium-rare (it will finish cooking inside the empanada.)

Empanada Dough: Pour all of the flour into a big mound on a large counter-top or other surface sufficient for working. Hollow out a "crater" in the top of the mound. Pour about 1/4 of the chicken broth into the "crater". Mix the broth into the flour. Continue pouring and mixing the broth little by little until all of the broth is mixed in. Melt the shortening in a small sauce pan. Once all the shortening is melted, pour it into the flour, mixing at the same time. (Be careful not to burn yourself on the hot melted shortening, the owner of this site does not assume liability for any injuries during this or any other process.) Kneed the dough thoroughly. Roll the dough into a large log shape. Break the "log" into two equal pieces and continue kneading. Once the dough is well mixed, break off pieces into tennis ball sized pieces.

Take one of the tennis ball sized pieced and roll it flat with a rolling pin. Then place a couple of table-spoons of the meat mixture, one slice of hard-boiled egg, one olive, and several raisins in the center. Place a few dabs of the olive juice from the canned olives around the contents. Fold in half and press the edges down (close to the contents). The olive juice helps the dough stick together. Use a pastry utensil to cut the excess off.

Roll the edges up a little to ensure a good seal. Then place on a cookie sheet. BROIL sheets of empanadas under low broil for 15 to 20 minutes, checking often to make sure they are getting golden brown on top and not black. Once they are golden brown on top, BAKE at 350 degrees F for another 20-30 minutes. (Flip one over at about 20 minutes to make sure they are not burning on the bottom.) Once they are golden brown on both sides, take them out and let them cool slightly before eating.

They will keep for up to a month, refrigerated and tightly sealed and make a great snack or meal. Just heat them up in a toaster oven at 300 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.