Ground Beef Empanadas Recipe. The Real Food Academy Miami

The Real Food Academy Miami ground beef empanadas recipe.

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Ground Beef Empanadas (Picadillo)

By Chef Maria Cummins

Course

entree

Cuisine

latin-american

Servings

10

Ingredients

2 tablespoons avocado oil
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoon aji panca (see note below)
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ small yellow or white onion, diced
2 tablespoons water
10 Empanada flour discs for baking (La Saltena see note below)
1 egg (for washing)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the onions and sauté for just a couple minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds, followed by the aji panca and water, stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and cool to room temperature before filling the empanadas.
Top the dough with the beef mixture, fold in half and seal the edges using a fork. Place on the prepared baking sheet brush with egg wash on top side only and bake until golden, (for 11-12 minutes).

Egg Wash: Whisk the egg and the water and set aside until use.

What is aji panca paste?

Aji Panca is a type of chile pepper that is commonly grown in Peru and frequently used in Peruvian cuisine. It is dark red, mild pepper with a smokey, fruity taste. It's often sold dried or prepared into a paste. You can find the dried peppers and jarred paste in Latin food stores. Find it on Amazon.com

Quick Substitutions for this recipe Ingredients

1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon paprika

Mix and apply to the ground beef

Belmont aji panca red pepper paste - The Real Food Academy Miami.

What can I use to substitute empanada dough?

If you're looking for a shortcut, store-bought puff pastry can be used to make empanadas. You may need to roll the dough out slightly thinner—it will produce a flakier result than typical empanada dough and is better for baking than frying.

Chef Maria Cummins

Born in Venezuela, Maria Cummins discovered her deep-rooted passion for food from an early age. Her culinary journey led her to Lima, Peru, where she immersed herself in the rich secrets of Peruvian gastronomy during part of her childhood. In her early twenties, she embarked on a new chapter by coming to the United States and delving into the Hospitality Industry in Boston, Massachusetts.

Maria's culinary adventure continued as she relocated to San Diego, California, where she made her mark by opening the renowned El Tucan Restaurant. Her extensive travels and diverse experiences greatly influenced her innovative culinary style, shaping the unique approach she is celebrated for today.

During her time in San Diego, Chef Maria not only honed her culinary skills but also gained a profound understanding of the importance of nutrition, particularly through the use of organic and unprocessed ingredients.

Today, Maria Cummins is the proud owner, founder, and head chef of the Real Food Academy, a culinary haven nestled in the vibrant city of Miami. Here, both kids and adults come together every week to share the joy of connecting through the power of Real Food and Real Fun!

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Geoff Kahler

What a great way to bring people together.
Nathan Kim

We had a great experience during our team offsite! The food was delicious and the cooking instructions were very clear. What a blast!
Marisela De Leo

(Translated by Google) My son went to Spring Camp last week, and he was fascinated, this Saturday he returns, he loved the way they taught him as well as the activities they did, and he repeated his knowledge the next day. (Original) Mi hijo fue la semana pasada del Spring Camp,y el quedó fascinado,este sábado vuelve,le encantó la manera en que lo enseñaron así como las actividades que realizaron,y el repitió al día siguiente sus conocimientos.
Isania Zapete

This is an amazing academy! My daughther has been a student here for almost a year and we have not once been disappointed. All the staff are so kind and patient. I would definitely recommend coming!
Valerie Creighton

We did a hands-on cooking evening with a group of foodies and serious home cooks that were traveling together. Wonderful experience! No expertise required, they took excellent care of us in the beautiful space and we prepared and ate a delicious meal. I just can’t praise them highly enough!
Maria Robinson

Chef Paolo was amazing! The food was spectacular!
Chelsey Rebelo

My daughter really enjoy cooking camp during spring break! She was so sad to leave.. I will definitely be bringing her back in the future. Thank you!
Roxana Casanueva

I recently attended the pizza-making class at The Real Food Academy, and it was an amazing experience! The class was fun, interactive, and perfect for all skill levels. The instructors were knowledgeable and made the process easy to follow, from kneading the dough to choosing fresh ingredients for toppings. The best part was getting to customize my own pizza and then enjoying the delicious results! The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, making it a great activity for friends, couples, or even solo attendees. I also appreciated the focus on high-quality, wholesome ingredients. Overall, I highly recommend this class to anyone who loves pizza and wants to learn how to make it from scratch. A great way to spend an evening and pick up some new cooking skills!
Chris Cunningham

PIZZA NIGHT WAS THE BEST!! Highly recommend
Sabrina Faroh

We had so much fun at the pizza class thank you chef maria and chef paolo it was a great experience 10/10
Lauren Hunter

Our friends took the pizza class as a triple date and had SO much fun. The instructors are so knowledgeable & friendly - they really walk you through the whole process & make it such a fun experience. We will definitely come back!!! Ps Our pizzas came out so so so yummy!
Christopher Vazquez

Amazing pizza class! Definitely recommend!
Jenna Kuzawski

SO FUN!!!!! Highly recommend this experience!!! Wonderful, clean atmosphere with incredible food!!!
Josselyn Solis

I recently celebrated my daughter’s fifth birthday at the real food Academy. Hands-down, having our event with them was one of the best decisions we’ve made. Words do not do this team justice. I had the privilege to have Maya and Rey, who were outstanding the entire time. From the moment we arrived, they welcomed our family. Rey helped us on dock our car and set everything up. Maya and her beautiful smile, from the start, captured our ideas and brought it to life. We had a couple additional kids join us in and even when it was chaotic, Rey found the way to set up extra seating placements for our additional guests. They had such great energy, kept the party going, helped us with every request and more. All of my guests, had an amazing time making pizza and cupcakes. If you are having any second thoughts in having your event with them, don’t even hesitate, just book it. Thank you once again for an unforgettable birthday party!
Gabriela Alvarado

Loved this cooking class. Maria and her team are very helpful and the recipes are just delicious. Would totally recommend!
Jesús Ramírez

What an experience. Chef Maria made our special occasion extra special. Great food, great company, cant wait to come back
Miguel Vazquez

fabulous
Laura Dacovich

Went with a group with a cooking class! And miss Toni was amazing
Jorden Adams

The space is bright and airy. Chef Toni was amazing. Our group had a wonderful evening of food and fun. Highly recommend!
Ana Annicchiarico

Fantastic experience! Chef Toni was awesome

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Real Food FAQs

No. All Payments and Deposits are non-refundable: When a payment or deposit is made, that day and time is no longer available to other customers on our calendar. For that reason, all payments and deposits are non-refundable.

In the case of a cooking class, the ingredients are shopped for and prepped in advance. Staff is also scheduled according to the number of people on the roster.

See our Wine and Beer list for your in-house kids party options. Optionally, you can bring your own wine or beer and page a corkage fee.

Corkage Fees

$15 per 750 ml bottle of wine
$30 per 1.5 L bottle of wine

Bring outside beer: $40 for beer (any quantity)

We love it when our customers decorate our place. That said, you have no idea how difficult it is to clean these types of things up. As far as noisemakers go......you will be glad you left them at home as well. So please do not bring any of those things.

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