Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the chopped green bell pepper and cook 2–3 minutes more until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Brown the pork

Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground pork to the skillet. Break it up with a spatula and cook until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if there is a lot, leaving a thin film to carry flavor.

Season and simmer

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the tomato paste, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt and black pepper. Cook 1–2 minutes to toast the spices and incorporate the tomato paste. Add the chopped olives and raisins (if using) and pour in 1/4 cup broth. Simmer gently 3–5 minutes until mixture is slightly saucy but not wet. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Finish filling

Remove from heat and stir in the chopped cilantro or parsley. Let the filling cool to room temperature (at least 20–30 minutes) before assembling so it doesn’t make the dough soggy.

Dough / Assembly

Make dough

In a large bowl whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in the cold cubed butter and optional shortening/lard using a pastry cutter or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of fat. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cold water over the flour mixture a few tablespoons at a time, gently mixing just until a cohesive dough forms. You may not need every drop; dough should hold together without being sticky.

Rest and roll

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, gather into a disk, flatten slightly, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes to relax the gluten. After chilling, divide the dough into 10–12 equal portions (for 4–5 inch empanadas). Roll each portion into a 4–5 inch circle about 1/8 inch thick.

Fill and seal

Place about 2 tablespoons of the cooled pork filling in the center of each dough circle, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Lightly brush the border with a bit of beaten egg or water. Fold the dough over to create a half-moon and press edges together to seal. Crimp edges with a fork or make a braided crimp to seal well. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Egg wash

Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash. Brush each empanada lightly to encourage browning if baking.

Bake or fry - Option 1: Bake

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange empanadas on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 18–22 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Bake or fry - Option 2: Fry

Heat 1–2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Fry empanadas in batches, seam-side up, 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Frying yields a crisper, richer empanada.

Serving

Serve warm with lime wedges, chimichurri, or a spicy salsa. Empanadas can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen (uncooked) for up to 2 months. To reheat baked empanadas, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–12 minutes until heated through. To reheat fried, warm in a 350°F oven 6–8 minutes to crisp.