Meat Empanadas

-1 onion chopped
-2-3 garlic cloves chopped
-1 lb ground beef
-1 tbsp oregano
-1 tsp paprika
-1 tsp cumin
-1/2 cup green olives, chopped
-1/2 cup raisins
-1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
-salt and white pepper to taste
-olive oil
-tomato sauce (can be omitted)
Brown the onion and the garlic on the olive oil. Add ground beef and brown. Drain the fat off. Add the spices and cook until the meat is done. If you'd like, add some tomato sauce (I use pasta sauce), enough to moisten the meat. Once it's ready, mix in the olives, raisins and the egg (I personally skip the egg).Scoop the meat mixture (about a tablespoon worth) onto the shell.Fold the shell, forming a semi-circle. Close the empanada bypassing a fork though its open edge, merging both sides of the shell.Brush the tops of the empanadas with a bit of water or milk. Sprinkle sugar. Bake in oven at 400 F. until golden.Empanadas can be made with many different fillings. Another favoriteof mine is cheese, Monterey Jack is probably the best choice in the US. For a dessert alternative, use quince-jam as a filling (traditionalquince-jam empanadas, however, are rather small).Empanadas is a particularly good party dish, as they don'trequire to be sitting up at a table to eat them.