Beef pastelitos, Cocinita style

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 cubanelle pepper, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup pitted green olives, sliced
• 1 tbsp capers, rinsed
• 1 tsp ground oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sazón with achiote
• Kosher salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Pastelito discs (empanada wrappers)
• Neutral oil for frying

Directions

1. Warm olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cubanelle pepper; cook until softened and translucent.
2. Stir in garlic, oregano, and cumin. Toast for 45 seconds until fragrant, then add tomato paste. Cook another minute to caramelize.
3. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Season with salt, pepper, and sazón. Cook until no longer pink.
4. Pour in tomato sauce, olives, and capers. Simmer gently 5–7 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and fold in cilantro. Let the filling cool completely.
5. Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of filling into the center of each disc. Fold over and crimp with a fork to seal. Keep discs covered with a towel so they don’t dry out.
6. Heat oil to 350°F. Fry pastelitos in batches until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined tray and serve immediately.