empanadas

An empanada is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling, common in Spain, other Southern European countries, North African countries, South Asian countries, Latin American countries, and the Philippines. The name comes from the Spanish (to bread, i.e., to coat with bread), and translates as 'breaded', that is, wrapped or coated in bread. They are made by folding dough over a filling, which may consist of meat, cheese, tomato, corn, or other ingredients, and then cooking the resulting turnover, either by baking or frying.

Origins

The origin of empanadas is unknown, but they are thought to have originated in 7th century Galicia, a region in northwest Spain.

An empanada (''empãada'') is mentioned in the Cantigas de Santa Maria 57:VI (c. 1282):

Entr' esses roubadores / viu jazer um vilão / desses mais malfeitores, / ũa perna na mão / de galinha, freame / que sacara com fame / entom dũ' empãada , que so um seu çurame/ comer quisera, / mais nom podera, / ca Deus nom queria.

In the midst of these robbers he saw lying there one of the most vicious of the rascals with a chicken leg in his hand. He had taken the cold morsel out of a pasty and was about to eat it under the cover of his cape. However, he could not, for God prevented it.

Rabbinic Jewish books from the same period, including the ''Novellae'' of Asher ben Jehiel (1250–1327), the ''Novellae'' of Yom Tov of Seville (c. 1260–1320), the ''Orchot Chayyim'' of Aaron ben Jacob () and the ''Arba'ah Turim'' of Jacob ben Asher () mention "inpanada" and "panada" as bread products containing fat, meat or fish on the inside.

A cookbook published in Catalan in 1520, ''Llibre del Coch'' by Robert de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood in the recipes for Catalan, Italian, French, and Arabian food.

By country and region

Argentina

Argentine empanadas are often served during parties and festivals as a starter or main course. Shops specialize in freshly made empanadas, with many flavors and fillings.

Every region of Argentina has its own characteristic variant. Those of Salta ('' salteñas'') are small, juicy and spicy, and contain potatoes, peppers and ground chili. These are also popular in neighbouring Bolivia.

The Jujuy variant adds peas and garlic. Its filling is called and the (method of closing the empanada) . The La Rioja variant includes hard-boiled egg, red bell pepper, olives, and raisins. In Jujuy, there are two variants: ''criollas'' and ''arabes''. Those of Santiago are considered especially juicy. Those of Catamarca are similar but smaller. Tucumán is known for the empanada creole; an annual National Empanada festival is held in Famaillá. Those of Famaillá are made with '' matambre'' and fried in good fat, competing with the (mixed-grated), in which the is mixed with chicken breast, garlic, ground chili, hard-boiled egg and cumin. Those of Mendoza are large and include olives and garlic. Those of San Juan have a higher proportion of onion, making them juicier and slightly sweet. Olives are also common and sometimes fat is also added to the or the dough. In San Luis they are big, seasoned with oregano and hot pepper, and kneaded with pork fat. In Córdoba, there is a version ''"Pastel Federal"'' "federal cake" or . These are famous because pears boiled in wine with cloves were added to their filling. Today they are not so sweet but it is tradition to sprinkle them with sugar. In Traslasierra they add carrots and potatoes. In the Litoral, where immigrants from various parts of the world predominated, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and Corrientes fill them with river fish, such as '' surubí'' (catfish) or ''dorado'', or with white sauce and Goya cheese. In the Cordillera of Patagonia, they are made with lamb and on the coast with seafood. In Buenos Aires, the Creole empanada is so important that it has been declared a Cultural Heritage of Food and Gastronomy by the Argentine Ministry of Culture.

Belize

In Belize, empanadas are known as . They are made with masa (corn dough) and typically stuffed with fish, chicken, or beans. They are usually deep-fried and served with a cabbage or salsa topping. are frequently sold as street food.

Brazil

In Brazil, there is a food called a (: ) and consists of half-circle or rectangle-shaped thin crust pies with assorted fillings, fried in vegetable oil. The result is a crispy, brownish fried pie. The most common fillings are ground meat, mozzarella, catupiry, heart of palm, codfish, cream cheese, chicken and small shrimp. Pastéis with sweet fillings such as guava paste with Minas cheese, banana and chocolate also exist.

Chile

Traditional Chilean styles include ''empanada de pino'' or ''de horno'', filled with seasoned ground beef, onions, olives, raisins, and hard-boiled eggs and cooked in an oven, and cheese-filled empanadas with crimped edges which are deep-fried.

Colombia

In Colombia, like in Venezuela, empanadas are made with corn and are typically filled with beef or chicken. They are sometimes served with salsa de ají, a chilli sauce.

El Salvador

El Salvador is one of few countries where the empanada is made with plantain rather than a flour-based dough wrapping. A popular sweet variation, are torpedo-shaped dumplings of dough made from very ripe plantains, filled with vanilla custard, fried, then rolled in sugar. They may alternatively have a filling made from refried beans rather than milk-based custard, but the flavour profile remains sweet rather than savoury.

France

In France, the traditional are made with a puff pastry dough filled with stew such as daube or confit, or a bechamel sauce mixed with ham and/or cheese. They also exist in sweet version (see ). They are half-moon shaped. If the shape is rectangular they receive the name of friand. One regional version is the , filled with pork meat cooked with wine and onions. All these versions are baked.

The fried versions can be made of puff pastry or shortcrust pastry and are called rissoles. The most famous is the , filled with meat or fish.

Galicia

Galician empanada () is a variety of empanada and one of the most popular dishes of Galician cuisine, commonly served in the towns of Galicia during festivals and pilgrimages. It is prepared with a variety of fillings, including local seafood, sausage, and chicken. It can be served hot or cold. The origin of this preparation is determined in the preparation of cakes in embers that were initially made directly in embers until it evolved into a preparation in clay pots that give it its current characteristic round shape. The preparation is mainly homemade and is done in ovens, but nowadays, it is common to find it for sale in bakeries or street stalls.

The history of this dish in the region dates back to the Visigothic era in the 7th century, when rules for their preparation were decreed. The first referenced empanada used mushroom or chicken fillings. The empanada was an ideal food for travelers because it is a covered preparation that prevented contact of the interior with the dust of the roads. Galician empanadas appear sculpted as early as the 12th century on the Portico of Glory in Santiago de Compostela.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, empanadas are known as . They are especially popular in Manado cuisine of North Sulawesi where their has a thick crust made from fried bread, filled with spicy fish (skipjack tuna) and chili, curry, potatoes or quail eggs. The in North Sulawesi was derived from Portuguese influence in the region. The dish is similar to and pastel, although they have a thinner crust compared to panada.

Italy

The Sicilian are stuffed, consisting of half-moon-shaped panzerotti filled with a mixture of almonds, walnuts, chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and minced beef. These are typical of Modica, in the province of Ragusa, Sicily. They are also known by the italianized word or (pasty of meat).

They were probably introduced by the Spaniards during their rule in Sicily which took place in the sixteenth century; this is suggested by the etymology of the name which comes from the Spanish or , as well as the somewhat unusual combination of meat and chocolate, which occurs occasionally in Spanish cuisine. In previous centuries, game meat was used in ; today beef is used.

Mexico

Empanadas are common in Mexico, although the dish there is noticeably different. Mexican empanadas are made of fried corn paste masa instead of flour, similar to '' gorditas'' or '' huaraches''. They are usually filled with taco ingredients, such as refried beans, boiled chicken, boiled chopped potato with white cheese, pork belly and ground beef, and are typically garnished with pickled cabbage salad, white cheese powder, cream and spicy tomato sauce. It is commonly served, along with '' flautas,'' as a cheap appetizer in fair stands and other outdoor events due to its quick preparation.

Philippines

Filipino empanadas usually contain ground beef, pork or chicken, potatoes, chopped onions, and raisins ( picadillo-style), in a somewhat sweet, wheat flour bread. There are two kinds available: the baked sort and the flaky fried type. To lower costs, potatoes are often added as an extender, while another filling is '' kutsay'' ( garlic chives).

Empanadas in the northern part of the Philippines, particularly in Ilocos, are known as ''Ilocos Empanada'' or ''Empanada de Ilocos''. These empanadas are characterized by savory fillings, typically including green papaya, mung beans, and sometimes chopped cabbage. They are also commonly filled with Ilocano sausage, or Vigan longganisa, and egg yolk. The empanada is deep-fried and made with glutinous rice paste ( ''galapong'') or rice flour combined with '' annatto'', which gives the dough its distinct orange color and contributes to a crunchier texture. Ilocos Empanadas can also be filled with mashed eggplant, scrambled eggs, and cabbage, which is called '' poqui poqui''.

In Bulacan, (), uniquely has a flaky multilayered crust resembling scales, hence the name. In Cebu, ''empanada Danao'' is a characteristically sweet-savory variant. It is filled with chopped ''chorizo'' and chayote, deep-fried, and dusted in white sugar before serving. In Zamboanga, ''empanada Zamboangueño'' is filled with chopped sweet potato, garbanzo beans, and served with a sweet vinegar dipping sauce.

Dessert versions of empanadas also exist, notably empanaditas, which commonly have a filling of '' latik'' (coconut caramel), honey and nuts, or peanut butter. Kapampangan versions of empanaditas have a '' yema'' (custard) and cashew nut filling. In Cebu, is a small deep-fried empanada with '' bukayo'' (sweetened coconut meat) filling.

Portugal

In Portugal, there are foods called "Pasteis de Bacalhau" and "Rissols." These fried treats are both made with fish, the pasteis being made with codfish and the rissoles being made with shrimp. These are delicacies known far and wide throughout the country.

Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, empanadas are made of a flour base and fried, and are known as empanadillas. Common fillings include meat such as ground beef picadillo, pork, chicken, pizza (marinara sauce and cheese), guava and cheese, '' jueyes'' (crab), ''chapín'' ( Spotted trunkfish), rabbit, octopus, and much more depending on local cuisine.

United States

Empanadas, mainly based on South American recipes, are widely available in New York City, New Jersey, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Miami from food carts, food trucks, and restaurants. Empanadas are usually found in U.S. areas with a large Hispanic population, such as San Antonio, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Venezuela

Traditional Venezuelan empanadas are made with ground corn dough, though modern versions are made with precooked corn. The dough may have a yellow color when toasted due to the addition of annatto. The fillings are very diverse, with the most conventional being cheese, shredded beef, chicken, ( school shark) in the Margaritan Island region especially, ham, black beans and cheese (commonly called ) and even combinations of mollusks. The empanadas have a half-moon shape and are fried in oil. Sometimes, they may have more than one filling, such as in , which are made with a shredded beef filling (or ' in the Margarita Island region), black beans, slices of fried plantain, and shredded white cheese.

Similar foods

The empanada resembles savory pastries found in many other cultures, such as the '' molote'', pirozhki, Glenn Randall Mack & Asele Surina, ''Food Culture in Russia and Central Asia'' (Greenwood, 2005), p. 138. calzone, samosa, Patricia Yeo & Julia Moskin, ''Cooking from A to Z'' (St. Martin's Press, 2002), p. 53. Gujhia, knish, ''kreatopitakia'', '' khuushuur'', Jamaican patty and pasty.

In most Malay-speaking countries in Southeast Asia, the pastry is commonly called '' epok-epok'' or '' karipap'' (English: curry puff). Fried dumplings are found in Chinese cuisine ('' jiucai hezi'' and '' jiaozi'') and in Vietnamese cuisine ('' bánh gối'').

References

{{Street food

Argentine cuisine
Belizean cuisine
Chilean cuisine
Cuisine of the Southwestern United States
Dumplings
Ecuadorian cuisine
Filipino cuisine
Galician cuisine
Guamanian cuisine
Indonesian cuisine
Italian cuisine
Latin American cuisine
Mexican cuisine
Paraguayan cuisine
Pascuense cuisine
Portuguese cuisine
Puerto Rican cuisine
Savoury pies
Spanish cuisine
Stuffed dishes
Tapas
Uruguayan cuisine
Venezuelan cuisine