Food from Argentina: Empanadas

An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried filled with a variety of fillings. The stuffing usually consists of a variety of meat, cheese, huitlacoche, vegetables or fruits, among others.

There are different national variants in many countries in Southern Europe, Latin America, the Southwestern United States and parts of Southeast Asia. Empanadas trace their origins to Galicia (Spain) and Portugal. The name comes from the Galician, Portuguese, and Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.

They first appeared in medieval Iberia during the time of the Moorish invasions. Empanadas filled with seafood are mentioned in a cookbook  published in Catalan in 1520 among the recipes of Catalan, Italian, French, and Arabian food. Empanadas are believed to be derived from the Indian meat-filled pies, samosas. All these pastries have common origins in India and the Middle East.

Empanadas are very popular and consumed throughout Argentina, often served at parties as a starter or main course. They arrived in Argentina some centuries ago and today they can be easily found in little pizzerías as well as in many restaurants.

The dough is usually of wheat flour and beef drippings with fillings differing from province to province. It is chicken, ground or cubed beef, perhaps spiced with cumin, paprika or pepper; others including onion, boiled egg, olives or raisins. They may also contain ham, fish, humita (sweetcorn withwhite sauce) or spinach. Empanadas can be baked (Salta-style) or fried (Tucuman-style). The  dessert empanada has a fruit filling.

In big cities, empanadas are more commonly eaten as take-away food, sourced from restaurants specializing in this dish. They usually carry dozens of different varieties, which is not the case in northern provinces, where empanadas are usually made at home, with more traditional recipes.

During Lent and Easter, empanadas de Cuaresma filled with fish (usually dogfish or tuna) are popular. Also popular are the so-called Arabian empanadas, filled with beef, tomatoes, onion, and lemon juice, similar to the fatayer made in the Levant.

Every region in Argentina has its own style:

The Tucuman Province is home to the National Empanada Festival, held each September. They have three traditional varieties: beef, mondongo (tripe), and chicken, although mondongo and chicken are the most traditional. Spring onions, pimento, and vinegar are often added to the meat, while potatoes, peas, and olives are used only rarely. The dough is a simple mixture of flour, water, and lard.

The Salta Province produces empanadas salteñas, tend to be smaller than the Tucuman variety and are prepared without the addition of fats or oils. In addition to the usual flavors, they also have spicy beef. Fillings often include potato, egg, red pepper, and green onion.

Jujuy offers beef, chicken, goat, and even llamas. They put chili, onion, and peas in their empanadas.

The empanadas from Córdoba are sweet and made white sugar, beef, raisins, potatoes, and olives.

Catamarca and La Rioja, provinces in western Argentina, are often made with garlic, potatoes, ground beef, onions, and olives.

Entre Rios has a special empanada that is stuffed with milk-soaked rice.

In Corrientes, Misiones and Formosa, the empanadas are sometimes made with mandioc flour.

La Pampa has empanadas that reflect the tastes of its neighbors (Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Patagonia); fillings commonly include red peppers, carrots, hard-boiled egg, and currants.

In Patagonia, the most common filling is lamb. On the coast, seafood empanadas are also quite common.