Empanada. . . . Comfort Food

I found an old recipe for an Empanada.  I use to make this all the time before we had kids.  The hubby loved it, I consider it a comfort food.  There are lots of recipes for the individual empanadas but this is for one big one.  Here are your ingredients.
1 pkg of pie crusts (2)
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/3 cup sliced black olives
1/3 cup chopped onion
3tbsp cilantro (fresh or dried)
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/3 cup thick and chunky salsa
11/2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 garlic clove pressed (always use fresh if you can)
1 egg beaten
Sour cream and extra salsa for garnishing. 
Let your pie crusts sit at room temp while you prepare everything.   Brown your ground beef, I add a little white wine.  After browning drain and set aside.   Drain your olives and combine with onion, cilantro, cheese, salsa,  taco seasoning and pressed garlic and mix gently. 
Gently open your pie crust and lay one out on your pizza pan brush a little of your beaten egg gently over the top.  Spread your beef mixture over the pie crust but leave 1 inch from the edge for sealing.   Spread your second crust out on a cutting board and roll it out just a bit then fold in half and line it up with your other crust.  Press and seal the edges of the crusts using a fork.  Brush the top of your crust with your egg.  I cut a few slits in the top to let your mixture breathe.   Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with a dolop of sour cream and a little salsa. 

You use thick and chunky salsa for this recipe because you do not want to have too much liquid, trust me, I learned the hard way.  If you do not have an egg you can always use a little milk and brush that over top of your pie crust.  Milk will also give that golden brown to the crust.   I like the fresh garlic too, it adds a good deal more flavor than powder and it is also better for your heart.  

Until we eat again. . .