Empanadas—beef-and-spice-stuffed turnovers native to Chile—can be made ahead and frozen, then simply reheated.

Prep: 1 hour   Bake: 30 minutes   Cool: 5 minutes   
Oven: 350°F

1 lb. lean ground beef
3 large onions, chopped (3 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped pitted ripe olives
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2–2/3 cup cold water
4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and thinly sliced (optional)
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. milk

1. For filling, in a large skillet cook ground beef, onions, and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender, stirring occasionally and breaking up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat. Stir in raisins, olives, paprika, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and oregano. Remove from heat; set aside while preparing dough.

2. To prepare dough, in a very large bowl combine flour, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the wine. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring dough with a fork just until moistened after each addition and pushing moistened dough to side of bowl before adding more water. Dough should hold together but not be too sticky. Form dough into a ball.

3. To prepare the empanadas, divide the dough into 16 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough portion to a 6-inch circle. Spoon 1/4 cup filling slightly off center of the circle. Top with a few slices of hard-cooked egg, if using. Fold dough over filling to make a half-circle. Seal seams by pressing with the tines of a fork or pinching with your fingers. If desired, brush a little water atop the seam; fold it over, pressing gently to keep dough in place.

4. Place empanadas on 2 lightly greased baking sheets. In a small bowl beat together egg yolk and milk. Brush each empanada with some of egg yolk mixture. Place baking sheets on separate racks in a 350° oven; bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Cool on a wire rack 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Makes 16 empanadas.

MAKE-AHEAD TIP: Prepare as directed above. Cool completely on a wire rack. Place empanadas in an airtight freezer container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, arrange frozen empanadas in a single layer on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake sheets on separate racks in a 350° oven for 30 minutes or until heated through, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking. Serve warm.

Per serving: 322 cal., 14 g fat (4 g sat. fat), 32 mg chol., 487 mg sodium, 37 g carbo., 2 g fiber, 7 g pro.