ARGENTINE OR ARGENTINIAN RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onion, mushrooms and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, crumble beef; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, pepper and 2 cups mozzarella cheese; set aside., In a large bowl, combine the Alfredo sauce, ricotta cheese, peas and spinach., Spread 1 cup meat sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with 4 noodles, 1-1/4 cups meat sauce and 1-1/4 cups spinach mixture. Repeat layers 3 times. Sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese. (Pan will be full.), Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Garnish with basil and, if desired, serve with Parmesan cheese., Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked lasagna. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake lasagna as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer to read 165°.

Steps:

• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over high. Cook beef, breaking up with a spoon, until browned but not completely cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving as much fat in pan as possible.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook onion, bell peppers, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, stirring, until tender but not browned, 6–8 minutes; season with salt and black pepper. Add cumin, paprika, oregano, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock and reserved beef along with any accumulated juices to pot. Stir in sugar, 4 tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until most of the liquid is evaporated, 15–20 minutes; taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed. Stir in raisins. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and chill at least 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375°. Let dough sit at room temperature 15 minutes to temper. Remove 6 rounds from package, keeping plastic divider underneath, and arrange on a work surface. Place 2 Tbsp. filling in the center of each round. Top with 2 olive halves. Brush water around half of outer edge of each round. Using plastic divider to help you, fold round over filling and pinch edges to seal. Using a fork, crimp edges. Remove plastic and transfer empanada to a parchment-lined sheet tray, spacing 1" apart. Repeat with remaining rounds (you’ll get about 12 empanadas on each tray).
• Bake empanadas, rotating tray halfway through, until golden brown and slightly darker around the edges, 25–35 minutes.
• Do Ahead: Filling can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled. Unbaked empanadas can be made 3 months ahead; freeze on sheet tray, then transfer to freezer bags and keep frozen.