Alongside  the millions of Europeans who settled in Argentina during the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were large numbers of settlers from the Middle East—particularly Syria and Lebanon—that came to South America as well. While Argentine dishes are typically based on Spanish and Italian cuisine, a few specialties from the Middle East have left their mark. One of these is the delicious empanada arabe. The combination of lemon, onion and tomato, combined with the flavour the meat (typically  beef) and the addition of fresh mint works perfectly together. 

Empanadas árabes are traditionally shaped into a triangle, with a portion of the filling remaining visible in the centre. Finish them off with a squeeze of fresh lemon. 

1 kg ground beef or diced finely | 2 medium onions, finely diced | 3 tomatoes | Bunch of fresh mint diced | Juice of 2 lemons | 1 tsp. salt 

To make the filling cut the beef into small cubes and then mix with finely chopped onions, diced tomatoes and lots of fresh mint. 

Season with salt pepper and pour over the lemon juice. 

Leave the mixture overnight or for a few hours so that it has time to marinade. 

Remove the filling from the refrigerator. Pour off the juices released by the meat. 

Place a tablespoon of filling in the centre of each empanada disc. 

Seal the empanadas start by folding up the bottom edge of the empanada disc, pressing down firmly at the corners. Fold over the right side of the empanada disc at a 45º angle and press down firmly at the corners. Lastly, fold over the left side at a 45º angle and press down firmly at the corners. Leave the centre of the empanada open to expose the filling.

Place the assembled empanadas on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in an oven preheated to 180ºC for approximately 20 minutes or until the dough turns golden brown.

Serve hot and with lemon wedges.

If you like these take a look at the traditional empanadas from Argentina and also see pastry recipe.