Add flour and salt into a large bowl. Mix together before adding cold butter pieces evenly throughout the flour.

Use fingers or pastry cutter to mix butter into flour. The mixture should look crumbly and slightly sandy.

Whisk egg and cold water together. Slowly pour into flour mixture and stir until dough forms gently together.

Shape dough into a ball and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for thirty minutes to create flaky empanada pastry texture.

Heat olive oil inside a skillet over medium heat. Cook chopped onions until soft and lightly golden in color.

Stir garlic into the skillet briefly. Add ground beef and cook until browned while breaking meat into small pieces.

Mix cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper into the beef. Stir evenly for bold and rich flavor development.

Pour tomato sauce into the skillet carefully. Simmer the filling for several minutes until thick and flavorful throughout completely.

Mix chopped olives and cilantro into the filling. Let the mixture cool slightly before filling the empanada dough later.

Roll chilled dough on a floured surface. Cut into circles using a bowl or large cookie cutter carefully.

Place filling into the center of each dough circle. Fold over and press edges tightly using a fork securely.

Brush empanadas with egg wash. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown and crispy for about twenty-five minutes.