National Empanada Day

April 08: National Empanada Day

National Empanada Day
empanadas with salsa and lime

Empanadas are stuffed bread or pastries that are baked or fried. The name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, which translates as “enbreaded.” They are made by folding dough over a filling, then cooking. The filling may be savory or sweet. They originated in the regions of Galicia, Portugal and León.

They first appeared in medieval Iberia during the time of the Moorish invasions. They are believed to be derived from the Indian meat-filled pies, samosas. In 1520, recipes for empanadas were included in Robert de Nola’s cookbook Libre del Coch.

In Argentina empanadas are filled with a variety of ingredients. During Lent, empanadas de vigilia (Easter empanadas) emerge filled with tuna, white fish, or vegetables.In Belize, they’re made with masa and stuffed with fish, chicken, or beans. Philippine empanadas are filled with ground beef, pork or chicken, potatoes, chopped onions, and raisins. In the northern regions, they use green papaya, mung beans, and sausage, and egg yolk.

Nowadays, they can be found most places with each country having there own spin on this treat. The town of Famaillá in the Tucumán Province, Argentina hosts a National Empanada Festival every year in September.

Make it Empanda Night with BBQ Chicken Empanadas and Cherry Cheesecake Empanadas!

Empanada Dough

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 large egg
1/3 cup ice water
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Sift flour and salt together. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Set aside. Beat egg with water and vinegar. Add to the flour and mix until just incorporated. Turn out onto a floured surface and gently knead until dough comes together and is smooth. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no more than 24 hours. To use roll dough out as thin as possible. Cut out circles, the size is up to you. Place some of the filling on one half of the round then pull the other half over it. Take a fork and crimp the edges to seal it closed.

To Bake: place empanadas on a light greased baking sheet about an inch apart. Brush tops of pastry with egg wash. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

To Fry: Deep fry in vegetable oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

BBQ Chicken Empanada Filling

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 cup BBQ sauce or to taste

Heat oil in a skillet. Add onion and saute until soft and slighted browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken and saute to heat chicken. Add BBQ sauce and toss to coat.

Cherry Cheesecake Empanada Filling

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 cup cherries, pitted and chopped
sugar crystals

Combine all the ingredients, except sugar crystals. Sprinkle the top of pastries with sugar before baking or after frying. Substitute any fruit you like or chocolate chips!

⇴ image from stu_spivack, wikipedia, (CC BY-SA 2.0)


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National Empanada Day Button
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