How to make empanadillas
Recipe1
Puerto Rican Fried Meat Pies: Empanadas - "A tasty meat filled pastry."
By Chef Smooth on January 20, 2006
9 Reviews
Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Dough for frying “empanadillas”
(empanadillas is the name used in Puerto Rico for “empanadas/meat pies)
o 3 cups all-purpose flour
o 1 teaspoon salt
o 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
o 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
o 1/4 cup vegetable oil
o 1 cup warm water
Filling
o 1 lb browned ground beef or 1 lb cooked shredded chicken
o 1/2 medium onions, diced
o 1/2 green bell peppers, diced
o 3 garlic cloves, crushed
o 1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro
o 1/8 cup sliced green olives
o 1 pinch salt and pepper
o 1 tablespoon tomato paste
o 1 (1 1/4 ounce) packages Sazón Goya with coriander and annatto or use your
favorite seasoning
For cooking
o 1 cup vegetable oil ( for frying)
Directions
1. DOUGH: combine all the dry ingredients in electric mixer, add all the wet
ingredients. Mix for about 3 minutes until well combined. Dough will form.
2. Take it out and knead for about 3 minutes, let sit wrapped in plastic-wrap for
another 15 minutes.
3. Divide into 12 pieces, then roll into 4 inch circles.
4. FILLING: Brown ground beef (drain excess grease), or sauté shredded chicken in 2
tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add all the ingredients and cook for an additional 10
minutes stirring occasionally. Let cool.
5. COOKING: Preheat the oil in a frying pan at about a medium temperature. Place
about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the dough and seal the edges with a fork.
6. Fry for about 5 minutes on each side, then place on dish lined with paper-towels.
Recipe 2
Basic Empanadas,South America
The process to make empanada dough for frying is very similar to the empanada dough for baking, a few
differences are that this dough doesn’t include egg, has a little bit less butter, but adds baking powder and
little bit of orange juice. This dough is used primarily for empanadas de viento or fried cheese empanadas
[1]
.
Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 stick of butter (4 oz), cut in 8 pieces
2 tbs orange juice
5-6 tbs chilled sparkling water or still water
Preparation:
1. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder in a food processor.
2. Add the pieces of butter, orange juice and sparkling water until dough clumps begin to form.
3. Form a ball with the dough and knead lightly.
4. Place the dough in bowl, cover and let rest at room temperature for about an hour.
5. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas (use round molds
or a small plate).
6. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator or freezer to use later.
This recipe produces a sweet dough that contrasts perfectly with savory fillings. Empanada dough is less
flaky than pie crust (although you can substitute frozen pie crust dough in a pinch) - it has a tender texture
that soaks up the filling.
This dough can be used for baked or fried empanandas. If you are going to fry the empanadas, omit the
egg yolk and roll the dough out slightly thinner (less than 1/4" thickness).
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1-2 teaspoons salt
2-3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, chilled
12 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening, chilled
3/4 - 1 cup water
2 egg yolks
Preparation:
1. Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the salt and the sugar.
2. Blend the butter and shortening (or lard) into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter
or with two knives, until fairly well blended.
3. Whisk the egg yolks wiht 3/4 cups water. Stir in the 1/2 cup of water/egg mixture,
a little at a time until the dough starts to come together smoothly. Keep kneading
the dough, adding more water/egg a little bit at a time as necessary (you made need
a few tablespoons extra of water), until the dough is smooth. The dough will seem a
bit shaggy until it has thoroughly chilled.
4. Cover the dough with saran wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. (Dough can also
be kept overnight (or a couple of days) in the refrigerator) Dough should be soft
and smooth, and not elastic - if you poke a hole in it with your finger, the indentation
should remain.
5. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and roll into desired thickness.
6. Makes enough dough for 10-12 large empanadas.
Empanadas de Carne – Meat stuffing
Ingredients
1pound lean ground beef, chicken, turkey, pork or a combination
2 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken or beef broth
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar (see Ingredient notes) or red-wine vinegar
4 cups potatoes diced, cooked (about 8 small red potatoes) or frozen hash-brown potatoes
1.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste
5 scallions (white part only), chopped
2 hard-boiled egg chopped
1 egg mixed with 1/4 cup water for glaze
Directions
Cook ground beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until no
longer pink, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Add onion to the pan and cook, stirring often, until
softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in tomato, cumin, broth, vinegar, potatoes, salt, ground pumpkin seeds and the beef. Reduce the heat
to medium-low; cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes to intensify flavors and reduce liquid. Fold in
scallions and hard-boiled egg. Let cool completely in the refrigerator.
To assemble empanadas: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. On a
well-floured surface, roll out one disk at a time to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut circles of dough using a 4 1/2-
inch round cookie cutter (see Tips). Make 26 circles altogether.
Brush egg glaze around the edges of the dough circles. Place about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of
each circle. Fold filled circles in half, press edges together and crimp with a fork. Place on the prepared
baking sheet. Brush egg glaze over the empanadas.
Bake the empanadas until golden and crisp, switching the position of the pans midway, 15 to 20 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes.
Number of Servings: 26
Recipe 3
How to make empanada dough for baking
Making empanada dough is not as hard as it sounds, especially if you have a food processor,
and even if you don’t it is still pretty easy because the dough should not be overworked and
requires minimal kneading. Also, these days it is very easy to find the empanada discs
already made (frozen) in Latin grocery store, and even though I was skeptical at first they
are actually quite good, but it also always fun to have them homemade and you can also
customize the dough by adding spices, herbs, etc that will complement or contrast with the
fillings.
Ingredients for 15 medium size or 25 small empanada discs:
3 cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
6 oz unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cold and cut into 12 pieces
1 egg
4-5 tbs water
Preparation:
1. Mix the flour and salt in a food processor.
2. Add the butter, egg and water until a clumpy dough forms.
3. Form a ball and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
4. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas
(use round molds or a small plate).
5. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator or freezer to use later.
Here is a simple recipe...
2c flour
2T sugar
2tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2c shortening
1/4c cold sweet butter
1T good bourbon
3T milk
Sift together first 4 items. Cut in shortening and butter until mixture is crumbly and appears mealy.
Combine whiskey and milk, slowly drizzle into dry mixture while gently stirring. Careful not to over mix.
Form into flattish ball, wrap in cello and put in fridge for about 1/2 hour. When chilled, roll out on floured
board until thin. Use 6 inch round cutter to make perfect circles.
This dough can be used for sweet or savory. I like it because it is a baked empanada rather than fried in
oil.
Fill with whatever you like and bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
I wouldn't try making them for 200. But do try this one at home!
Origen
Empanada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empanada )
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this
article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (March 2008)
Empanada
Two empanadas (empanadillas)
Origin
Place of origin Spain
Dish details
Course served Main course
Serving temperature Hot or cold
Pastry
Main ingredient(s) Cod
Chicken
Variations Pasty
Approximate calories per
130
serving
Popular
throughout:
Spain
Portugal
Latin America
Other information
North America
The Philippines
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
A gourmet version of a traditional dish
An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries in Latin America, Southern
Europe and parts of Southeast Asia. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in
bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing. The stuffing can consist
of a variety of meats, cheese, huitlacoche, vegetables or fruits among others.
Origins
Empanadas trace their origins to Galicia, Spain and Portugal.[1][2][3] They first appeared in medieval Iberia
during the time of the Moorish invasions. A cookbook published in Catalan in 1520, the Libre del Coch
by Ruperto de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood among its recipes of Catalan, Italian,
French, and Arabian food.[4][5] In turn, it is believed that empanadas and the similar calzones are both
derived from the Arabic meat-filled pies, samosa.[6]
In Galicia and Portugal, an empanada is prepared similar to a large pie which is cut in pieces, making it a
portable and hearty meal for working people. The filling of Galician and Portuguese empanada usually
includes either tuna, sardines or chorizo, but can instead contain cod fish or pork loin. The meat or fish is
commonly in a tomato, garlic and onion sauce inside the bread or pastry casing. Due to the large number
of Galician immigrants in Latin America, the empanada gallega has also become popular in that region.
In Sardinia, Italy, the salad cake is named Sa Panada, or Impadas, Sa Panada meaning "meat ball cake".
The dish was carried to Latin America and the Philippines by Spanish colonisers, and to Indonesia by the
Portuguese, where they remain very popular to this day. Empanadas in Latin America, the Philippines and
Indonesia have various fillings, detailed below.
[edit] National variants
[edit] Argentina
Argentine empanadas are often served at parties as a starter or main course, or in festivals. Shops
specialize in freshly made empanadas, with many flavors and fillings.
The dough is usually of wheat flour and butter with fillings differing from province to province: in some
it is mainly chicken in others beef (cubed or ground depending on the region), perhaps spiced with cumin
and paprika, while others include onion, boiled egg, olives, or raisins. Empanadas can be baked (Salta
style) or fried (Tucuman style). They may also contain ham, fish, humita (sweetcorn with white sauce) or
spinach; a fruit filling is used to create a dessert empanada. Empanadas of the interior regions can be
spiced with peppers. Many are eaten at celebrations.
In restaurants where several types are served, a repulgue, or pattern, is added to the pastry fold. These
patterns indicate the filling. The fill of the Empanada determines the form of the repulgue, for example a
cylindrical form would suggest a chocolate prunes filling. In Tucuman, this type of Empanadas was
banned, since, in the opinion of the local public, the tender of their taste was too avant-garde.[citation needed]
[edit] Tucumán Province
This province hosts The National Empanada Festival, in the city of Famaillá.
The only varieties are: beef, mondongo, chicken, with the latter two being the most
authentic.
Preferably cooked in a clay oven in a tray of fat, or in a gas oven
The empanada Tucumana is hearty - the meat filling being minced into 3 mm pieces,
then partially cooked and allowed to cool while it absorbs juices. Cooking is finished
along with the final baking.
In addition to meat, spring onions, pimento and vinegar are added. Potatoes, peas,
and olives are rarely used in the Tucuman preparation.
The dough is simply prepared from flour, water, and lard.
A traditional celebratory meal in Tucumán might include: empanadas, locro Tucumano and meat tamales,
and to drink wine from Amaicha del Valle, or Colalao del Valle. Cheese from Tafí del Valle with honey
and/or bitter orange syrup as a dessert.[citation needed]
[edit] Salta Province
Empanadas from Salta are called salteñas, and are distinct from Tucumán-style empanadas as they are
smaller and baked without the addition of fat or oil. Typical fillings include carne suave or picante - beef
or spicy beef, cheese, ham, or chicken. The beef versions typically have potato, egg, red pepper, and green
onion with the meat.
[edit] Other provinces
Buenos Aires and the city of Buenos Aires - The preferred empanada one is very
similar to that of Tucumán but with a greater variety of fillings.
Jujuy - empanadas Jujeñas are very similar to those from Salta though peas, red
peppers and goat meat is more favoured.
Santiago del Estero tend to commonly use peas, white onion, and hard boiled egg.
Cordoba- The empanadas from Cordoba are characterized by the use of raisins,
potatoes, and sugar. Typically Cordoba makes "empanadas criollas" that contain
ground meat, carrots, egg, onion, garlic, olives and raisins.
Catamarca, La Rioja - Empanadas Catamarqueñas and Las Riojan tend to have garlic,
potatoes, goat meat, onion and olives as the fillings.
Cuyo (Mendoza, La Rioja, San Luis, San Juan) - Contains ground beef, onions (yellow
and/or green), green olives, hard boiled eggs, and various spices (cumin, paprika,
oregano, etc.)
Entre Rios - The empanadas here are often stuffed with milk-soaked rice.
Corrientes, Misiones, and Formosa - Empanada pastry is occasionally made with
manioc flour, and although beef as a filling predominates, fish is not unusual.
La Pampa - Here empanadas reflect the crossing of various regional influences from
Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Mendoza, and Patagonia. So that being so the most frequent
empanada fillings can include red peppers, carrots, hard boiled egg, and currants.
Patagonian provinces (Neuquén, Negro River, Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del
Fuego, and Islands of the South Atlantic) the most frequent filling is lamb although
in the coastal zones fish and, specially, seafood, is common. In Neuquén the usually
condiment is merken.
During Lent and Easter, "empanadas de Cuaresma" filled with fish (usually dogfish or tuna) are
popular.[citation needed]
[edit] Bolivia
Bolivian Empanadas are made with beef or chicken, and usually contain potatoes, peas and carrots, as
well as a hard boiled egg, an olive, or raisins. They are called salteñas and are moon-shaped pouches of
dough customarily seamed along the top of the pastry. Salteñas are very juicy and generally sweeter than
the Chilean variety, though there are different levels of spiciness (non sweetness). In the afternoons, fried
cheese empanadas are served, sometimes brushed with sugar icing.
[edit] Cape Verde
Cape Verdean cuisine features the pastel as well. Cape Verdean pastéis are often filled with spicy tuna
fish. One particular variety, known as "pastel com o diabo dentro" is particular spicy, and is made with a
dough made from sweet potatoes and cornmeal.[7]
[edit] Chile
Chilean empanada
Chilean empanadas can have a wide range of fillings, but there are three basic types that are the most
popular:
The first one is baked and filled with pino, a traditional filling consisting of beef,
onions, raisins, black olives and hard boiled eggs.
The second one is usually filled with seafood and fried.
The third type contains cheese and may be baked or fried, although the latter form
is more common.
There are many variations on each of these basic types (e.g.: pino without raisins and olives; all kinds of
seafood, like mussel, crab, prawns or locos (abalone); mixed shrimp/cheese; etc.).
[edit] Colombia
Colombian empanadas can be either baked or fried. The ingredients used in the filling can vary according
to the region, but it will usually contain components such as salt, rice, beef or ground beef, shredded
chicken, boiled potatoes, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and peas. In the department of Valle del Cauca, they
are generally filled with ground meat, yellow potato or Creole potato. They are also served with peas,
tomato, cilantro, and many other spices. In the city of Medellín, Chorizo filled empanadas can be easily
found, because of the city's love of pork and chorizo meats. In the Caribbean Region empanadas are fried,
the pastry is corn-based and fillings include ground meat, shredded chicken and ground costeño cheese. In
the Amazonic regions of Colombia, such as the area of the city of Leticia, many sweet empanadas can be
found, because of the high demand and high supply of tropical fruits of the region. Many of these
empanadas are filled with some sort of jam consisting of these types of tropical fruits, such as lulo, zapote
and many more which can all be found in the Amazon regions of Colombia. However, radical variations
can also be found (cheese empanadas, chicken-only empanadas, and even Trucha - Trout - empanadas).
The pastry is mostly corn-based, although potato flour is also used. In Santander, wheat flour pastry is the
most popular with a variety of fillings that may include pineapple and even mushrooms, but the
empanadas of ground or puréed manioc (stuffed with rice and shredded chicken or minced meat and,
usually, chopped hard boiled egg and cilantro) are a representative traditional food.[citation needed]
Empanada costeña.
Colombian empanadas are usually served with Aji (also called Picante and Ají Pique by some people), a
sauce made of cilantro, green onions, red or black pepper, vinegar, salt, and lemon juice and, often, bits of
avocado pear. Bottled commercially made hot sauces are also used to add flavor to the empanadas. The
sauce is normally prepared with a spicy kick, balancing very well with the nutty, neutral taste of the meat,
potato and spices that make up the typical Colombian empanada. Colombian empanadas are also known
to contain carrots and chicken. Another variety include Stuffed Potatoes (Papas rellenas) which is a
variant that has potato in the pastry instead of maize dough and have round shapes.[citation needed]
In the Cauca department, the pipian empanadas are made with peanuts and a special type of potato called
"Papa amarilla" due to its yellow color. In Colombia, empanadas can be easily found on street corners, as
it is one of the most famous and popular foods in the general public, followed by Arepa and Pandebono.
Many of the empanadas that are found in Colombia were/are homemade, and have been brought down
through generations, eventually turning into a national obsession. One of the most famous bakeries in the
Republic, more specifically based in Cali, Colombia, called 'El Molino' introduced the Spinach
Empanada, which is an empanada filled with both green spinach and cottage or Ricotta cheese. In the
poorer areas of Colombia, the producers of these popular empanadas are made with the same spinach, but
use Queso Campesino, Queso Paisa of Medellín, or parmasan cheese instead of cottage or Ricotta cheese.
Emapandas in Colombia are a favorite in most of the bigger cities, such as Cali, Bogotá, Barranquilla or
Medellín.
[edit] Costa Rica
Costa Rican empanadas are either filled with seasoned meats (pork, beef or chicken) or cheese, beans,
cubed potato stew folded and then fried. These empanadas are normally made with corn dough. There is
another version made with wheat dough and is typically sweet and baked, filled with guava, pineapple,
chiverre or any other jelly or dulce de leche. Another popular version are empanadas that have been made
with sweet plantain dough, filled with seasoned beans and cheese, and then fried. During the last years,
empanadas filled with gallo pinto are becoming a popular alternative to active people who have few time
to eat breakfast.
[edit] Cuba
Cuban empanadas are typically filled with seasoned meats (usually ground beef or chicken), folded into
dough, and deep fried. Cubans also sometimes refer to empanadas as empanaditas . Empanadas can also
be made with cheese, guayaba, or a mixture of both. It can also be made with fruit such as apple. pears,
pumpkins and pineapples.
These are not to be confused with Cuban pastelitos, which are very similar but use a lighter pastry dough
and may or may not be fried. Cubans eat empanadas at any meal, but they usually consume them during
lunch or as a snack.
[edit] Curaçao
Pastechis are typically filled with Gouda cheese, meat, tuna or other fish. The dough is made out of flour,
eggs and lard or butter, slightly sweetened. Pastechis are deep fried.
[edit] Dominican Republic
Referred to by Dominicans as "pastelitos" (literal translation: "little pies"), Dominican empanadas are
traditionally fried and stuffed with savory fillings, such as cheese or meats (seasoned ground beef,
shredded chicken or pork) and garnished with chopped olives, onions, raisins and/or eggs. A variety also
exists in which the dough is made from cassava flour (or wheat flour), called catibías. They are often
consumed as street food and can be bought from street vendors, but are also made at home as special
additions to holiday meals.
[edit] Ecuador
Very similar to those of their neighboring country, Colombia, Ecuadorian empanadas are made of corn
seasoning or flour.[citation needed] Their components may include peas, potatoes, steamed meat known as
carne guisada, or many other varieties of vegetables. The many types of Ecuadorian empanadas include
empanadas de arroz (rice empanadas),[citation needed] which are deep fried for added crispiness, and flour
empanadas or empanadas de verde which are empanadas made from plantain. Empanadas are also
followed by aji (a type of dipping sauce for added flavor), which varies by region. The major components
of "aji", or "picante", as it is also known, are cilantro, juices from red peppers (for a spicy kick), lemon,
Spanish, red, or green onion, and sometimes chopped tomato. In la costa, or the shore region of Ecuador,
aji may contain only onions, chopped tomatoes, and lemon juice. and fruit empanadas; with such fillings
as banana, apples, and pumpkin.[citation needed] There is also "empanadas de morocho", morocho is a special
grain produced in the country.[citation needed] They are also known for deep fried empanadas made with
shredded chicken, onions, olives, hard boiled eggs, and raisins then topped with sugar before
serving.[citation needed]
[edit] El Salvador
Salvadorians often use the term "empanadas" to mean an appetizer or dessert made of plantains stuffed
with sweet cream. The plantains are then lightly fried and served warm with a sprinkle of sugar. They also
sometimes include red fried beans.
[edit] Ghana
In Ghana, traditional-style empanadas called "meat pies" are made with a pastry shell and corned beef
filling.
[edit] Haiti
In Haiti, a meat-filled pastry similar to the empanada but with a thicker crust called a pate is regularly
eaten on festive occasions. It is essentially a meat-filled turnover. The dough is often filled with ground
beef, fish, or chicken and topped with spices. The dough is then sealed and baked.
File:100-PANADA.jpg
[edit] Indonesia
In Indonesia it is known as panada or pastel. The Northern Celebes version, called panada, has thick crust
made of fried bread, giving it bread texture and is filled with spicy tuna and chili peppers. The other less
spicier version, called pastel, has thin crust makes it more crispy and a fillings typically made of finely
diced potatoes, carrot, green onions, chicken, garlic, and white pepper some people added glass noodles.
A less common version can also be found, filled with curried chicken and/or potatoes with one quail egg.
Another version of pastel is pastel tutup. it has the same fillings as pastel but in pie form Just like chicken
pot pie only with the soft thick crust made of mashed potatoes. pastel tutup is baked instead of fried.
[edit] Jamaica
A Jamaican patty or "pattie" is a pastry that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell,
often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture or turmeric. It is made like a turnover but is more
savory. As its name suggests, it is commonly found in Jamaica, and is also eaten in other areas of the
Caribbean, like Costa Rica's Caribbean coast but most notably that of Haiti, in which the pastry is thick
and crispy essentially a turnover. It is traditionally filled with seasoned ground beef, however, fillings
now include chicken, vegetables, shrimp, lobster, fish, soy, ackee, mixed vegetables or seasoned ground
beef with cheese. In Jamaica the patty is often eaten as a full meal especially when paired with bread. It
can also be made as bite-sized portions and is then referred to as a cocktail patty.
[edit] Malaysia
In Malaysia, curry puff or karipap is considered a Malaysian version of empanadas. Found in many
stores, especially at Indian and Malay food stalls. Another Malay version of this snack is known as epok-
epok and teh-teh which is smaller than the curry puff. Other varieties of the epok epok are filled with a
half boiled egg instead of chicken. Another alternative is tinned sardines.
Manufacturers have developed a version of the curry puff that can be frozen and later reheated by the
consumer. These are suitable for the export market and can be produced in volume for shipment to
various regions, such as the Middle East, where there is demand. In addition, new fillings have been
experimented with, including tuna and black pepper.
In Indian food stalls in Malaysia, it is quite common to find vegetarian curry puffs with potatoes, carrots
and onions as fillings. The Malay curry puffs tend to be sweet-savoury while the Indian curry puffs are
usually spicy.
[edit] Maldives
The Maldivian Empanada, locally known as Patty is a pastry that contains spicy tuna fillings accompanied
by chopped onions, chopped garlic, potato and of course, the Maldives Chilli.
[edit] Marianas Islands
The Chamorro people of Guam and Saipan make an empanada that is filled with ground toasted rice, red
chilis, black pepper, garlic and annatto. The pastry is made from masa harina and it is deep fried.[8]
[edit] México
A Mexican empanada filled with Queso Oaxaca, Epazote and Flor de Calabaza.
Mexican empanadas can be a dessert or breakfast item and tend to contain a variety of sweetened fillings;
these include pumpkin, yams, sweet potato, and cream, as well as a wide variety of fruit fillings. Meat,
cheese, and vegetable fillings are less common in some states, but still well-known and eaten fairly
regularly. Depending on local preferences and particular recipes the dough can be based on wheat or corn,
sometimes with Yuca flour. The state of Hidalgo is famous for its empanadas, or pastes, as they are
locally known. These trace their origins from the Cornish pasties imported by British miners.
In Chiapas, empanadas filled with chicken or cheese are popular dishes for breakfast, supper or even as
snacks.
[edit] Nigeria
In Nigeria, these pastries are commonly referred to as "meat pies". They are usually stuffed with carrots
and greens with the meat being either beef or chicken.
[edit] Panamá
Empanadas are usually filled with ground beef but sometimes may also be filled with shredded chicken,
white cheese or yellow cheese. They are made of flour or cornmeal and usually deep fried, but can also be
baked. In the city of Colon, due to a heavy Caribbean influence, they also fill it with a plantain puree,
bake it, and call it "plantain tart" (tarta de platano). They are smaller than their counterparts elsewhere in
Latin America and are considered snack, appetizer, or luncheon food.
[edit] Paraguay
Paraguayan empanadas are similar to the Argentinian ones. They are usually fried and there are a variety
of fillings. The traditional one contains ground beef and hard-boiled eggs. Other types include: jamón y
queso (ham and cheese), palmitos (heart of palm), choclo (corn), huevo (egg), mandioca (cassava). The
mandioca empanada is commonly referred as pastel mandi'o, and it is unique in this country, usually
served in the San Juan festival.
[edit] Perú
Peruvian empanadas
Peruvian empanadas are similar to Argentine empanadas, but slightly smaller. They are usually baked.
The most common variety contains ground beef seasoned with cumin, hard-boiled egg, onions, olives,
and raisins; the dough is usually sprinkled with icing sugar. They are commonly sprinkled with lime juice
before eating. Also very popular are cheese-filled (or cheese-and-ham-filled) ones besides chicken filled
one.
Recently, "modern" empanadas, with a variety of filling have appeared, e.g.: chicken-and-mushrooms,
shrimp or "ají de gallina".
In southern Perú, similar to Bolivia, there are "Salteñas" (Argentinian empanadas) or "Bolivianas" (very
similar to Salteñas).
[edit] Philippines
Filipino empanadas usually contain ground beef or chicken meat, potato, chopped onion, and raisins
(somewhat similar to the Cuban "picadillo") in a sweetish wheat flour dough. There are doughy baked
versions, as well as flaky fried versions. Often, to lower costs, potatoes are added as a filler.
Empanadas in the northern Ilocos are very different. Those empanadas are made of a savory filling of
green papaya, mung beans and, upon request, chopped Ilocano sausage (Chorizo) and/or an egg yolk.[9]
Rather than the soft, sweet dough favoured in the Tagalog region, the dough used to enclose the filling is
thin and crisp, mostly because Ilocano empanada uses rice flour, coloured orange with achuete (annatto),
and is deep-fried rather than baked.[10]
[edit] Portugal
In Portugal, empadas are a common option for a small meal, found universally in patisseries and often
being eaten while drinking coffee. They are usually about the size of a tennis ball, though size and shape
changes from place to place or establishment to establishment. The most common fillings are chicken,
beef, tuna, codfish and, more recently, mushrooms and vegetables, though this also varies from place to
place. They are usually served both hot and cold.
[edit] Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican cuisine has several dishes related to the empanada. The closest to those of neighboring
countries is called empanadilla (literally 'little empanada'). The empanadilla is made of flour or cassava
flour dough, and lard. The empanadilla is filled with meat (chicken, picadillo, chorizo, turkey, etc.),
spinach, pigeon peas with coconut (mostly in dominican neighborhoods), cheese, marinara sauce and
mozzarella (known as an empanadilla de pizza or an empanadilla de lasagna), or cheese with fruit.
Cassava empanadas are usually filled with seafood. They're very popular beach food and in Cuchifrito
stands.
A similar dish is the pastelillo, which uses a higher portion of lard and adds annatto powder in the pastry
mix, making it yellow in color, and fried. Common fillings are cheese, guava paste, meat, fish or chicken.
They may also be found in the varieties of pizza or lasagna. These should not be confused with another
form of pastelillo which uses puff pastry, is filled with either meat or fruit paste (mostly guava) and either
left plain or topped with powdered sugar or sugar glaze/honey.
The Puerto Rican empanadilla pastry should not be confused with what is known as an empanada in
Puerto Rico, which is a steak, chicken breast or fish fillet breaded in flour and fried, much like schnitzel.
[edit] Spain
Pieces of Galician empanada
In Spain empanadas are often made from a rather thin, pliant, but resilient wheat pastry, although thicker
pastry is not uncommon. The filling varies, but tuna, sardines or chorizo are used most commonly in a
tomato puree, garlic and onion sauce. Spanish empanadas are fried in olive oil or baked in the oven. In
Galicia, Spain, the empanada can also be prepared similar to a pie, with cod fish or pork loin, the
empanada galega (Spanish: empanada gallega). Empanada can be eaten at any time of the day.
[edit] United States
Creole cuisine empanadas are commonly eaten in the United States, especially in the South and the
Southwest. In Louisiana empanadas are Creole savory meat pies, commonly made in Louisiana by
Creoles in South and North Louisiana. They are a half circle flaky crust, filled with seasoned pork, beef,
chicken, and cheese. In the southeastern United States, there is a similarly prepared dessert often referred
to as "fried pies." They typically consist of a pastry filling made from re-constituted dried fruit such as
apples, apricots, peaches or yams.[11][12][13] The filling is placed in a dough circle, folded over in half, and
then fried.
New Mexico empanadas frying in lard.
Among the Spanish and Mexican families that colonized New Mexico, there is a winter tradition of
gathering to making sweetmeat empanadas for Christmas. These small empanadas are made with hand-
ground cooked pork, sugar, toasted local piñon, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; sealed in tortilla-like
dough; then deep-fried in lard until lightly golden brown. Variations include making them from beef, and
using different nuts or spices. Gathering the family to make and gift these sweetmeat empanadas is one of
many traditional New Mexico foodways that continues to thrive.[14]
[edit] Uruguay
Uruguayan empanadas are generally made out of wheat flour and can be fried or baked. There were
introduced by the Spanish and Italian settlers in the middle of the 20th century. The most common
empanadas are those with beef, but there are also other kinds, such as ham and cheese, olives, fish and
spicy stuffing. The most famous sweet empanadas in Uruguay are those that combine dulce de leche,
quince and chocolate covered by sugar or apple jam. In some regions even those with sweet meat.
[edit] Venezuela
Venezuelan empanadas use corn flour based dough and are fried in oil or lard.
The stuffing varies according to region; most common are white salty cheese, shredded chicken or beef
and ground beef.
Other types use fish (shredded school shark or cazón), caraotas or black beans, Llanero white cheese,
guiso (meat or chicken stew made with capers, red bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, olives, panela,
red wine, and Worcestershire sauce). Oyster, clams, shrimps and other types of seafood are used as
fillings in the coastal areas, especially in Margarita Island. Also, it can be made of fried ripe plantains
(tajadas) and white cheese, which has a sweet flavour.
An empanada filled with meat, black beans (Venezuelan-style), and fried ripe plantains (tajadas) is called
empanada de pabellón, after Venezuela's national dish, the pabellón criollo.
When the empanada is cut open after deep frying, and doctored with added fillings, it is called empanada
operada, a term which refers to a surgical intervention (operación in Spanish).
The empanadas can be eaten at any time of the day (but it's usually consumed as a breakfast) and is
frequently served with Guasacaca and/or hot sauce.
In order to distinguish the types of empanadas in Venezuela, it is common to call Empanada Chilena the
one that is made with a wheat flour based dough (or pastry) and baked, as Venezuelan empanadas are
made with a corn flour based dough.
[edit] Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands version of empanadas are called patés. They are served as a snack or street food. Filled
with beef, chicken, saltfish, conch, lobster or vegetables, pates are made with flour and are usually fried.