One Sorry Blog

Empanadas
By Clare Nisbet

So, it’s kind of cheating to claim that I am rad by virtue of being a white girl making worldly foods and then write my first bit about Argentinean food. Contrary to popular ideology, Argentines are whiteys and super-whiteys when it comes to grub. Growing up in Scotland I used to be regaled with the old adage: Britain has two spices – salt and pepper. Fair enough, I say. But if that is true, then Argentina has one spice – salt. The food in my country is not spicy Thai, sweet and sour Chinese, hot chile Mexican, or smooth and piquant Mediterranean. It’s bland, bland, bland. But, damn if it ain’t tasty.

So my first rant will be dedicated to the true Argentine superfood: the empanada. I have heard empanadas described as everything from British style meat pasties to a Latin American Hot Pocket. I balk at these definitions. None of them is accurate. An empanada is an empanada. Here in Argentina they come fast and hot to your door at all hours of the day and in all flavors. A superfood, to be sure. Empanadas are small, half-circle shaped pastries stuffed with various fillings and then baked or fried to yummy deliciousness. Take my word for it that baked is healthier and tastier.

Empanadas are perfect for kitchen virgins just learning their way around because they cook quickly and can be filled with absolutely anything – sweet or savory. Popular fillings include:

Carne (seasoned ground beef with onions, peppers and hard boiled eggs)

Pollo (grilled chicken – chuck some seasoning in a pan and go to town)

Carne cortada a cuchillo (chopped beef in chunks. Looks like dog food, tastes like heaven!)

Verdura (vegetables ranging from frozen spinach with white sauce to tasty carrot and zucchini combos)

Humita (Corn meal with cut corn. As fun on the way out as they are on the way in!)

Cebolla y queso (Cheese and onion, easy peasy!)

Caprese (Tomato, mozzarella, and basil)

Jamón y queso (ham and cheese)

It’s also fun to go sweet and fill empanadas with dulce de leche, sweet potatoes, fruit preserves, or whatever you want (Marshmallows! Why did I never think of that?) for a groovy desert.

In Argentina you can buy the pre-made round pastry in the store as easy as you can buy tortillas in California (though apparently tortillas in Argentina are just too much to ask). Those outside of Latin America may have to prepare your own pastry dough (I’d give you my own personal recipe but wouldn’t that just take away from your googling fun?) OR try a clever trick and buy some pre-made filo dough in the frozen food section and cut circles with a salad plate. Filo makes flakey, warm dough, particularly great for a different sort of empanada.

The fun part is trying to braid the edges closed. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up with empanada filling spilling out into your oven, so wet the edges, seal them tight, and get funky with your own personal repulgue (pastry braiding style).

My personal limit is 3 for lunch, 4 over the course of a day, with 1-day breaks between sessions. I have seen the life artist Bubba Ray Robison put away 6 or 7 in less than 10 minutes and my boss shovel down a dozen in under an hour. Be gentle on your stomach, newbies. You don’t want to ruin your perfect empanada experience by making yourself sick. 3 or 4 is a good meal, but when empanada lunch costs less than US$2 in Argentina, it’s hard to put a limit on the good times.

¡Buen provecho, chicos!