You may have heard of empanadas, but more likely one of the caramel apple variety from Taco Bell than the delicious, savory empanadas in Argentina. I’m here to tell you that if you travel to Argentina, there is a multitude of foods that you should try, but empanadas should top your list.
Many menus will translate “empanada” to “meat filled pastry,” which kind of paints of picture of a donut stuffed with ground beef, which is far from appetizing. However, I can assure you, the actual product is much more tantalizing than the translation makes it sound. The dough can be similar to pastry dough, but more in the flaky texture than in the sugary-sweetness. The dough can also be similar to that of a pizza, it just depends on the chef. The dough can be stuffed with meat, but also with vegetables and cheese. Some of the most popular varieties include: jamón y queso (ham and cheese), humita (creamed corn), pollo (chicken), and carne (beef). Don’t be fooled by the verdura (vegetable) empanada, it’s not crammed with vegetables, it’s usually just spinach, cream, and cheese. Delicious, but it can be a little jarring when you expected a mouthful of veggies.
Traditionally, Argentine empanadas can be prepared in two ways: a la parilla (on the grill) or al horno (baked). Outside of Argentina, you might also find them fried. The shape of the empanadas is not really ditacted by tradition, but by the chef and/or its insides. Many chefs will distinguish their empanadas by folding their jamón y queso empanadas into a triangle while their pollo empanadas sit flat with a pointed, crimped closure on top. If you order empanadas for take out, you’ll usually get a little picture guide with your food showing you which shape contains which ingredients.
Argentina is not the only Latin American country that serves empanadas, but theirs most certainly stand out when it comes to taste. You can get them at basically any panadería(bakery),as well as at most restaurants and bars. If you are in Argentina, you absolutely cannot miss out on empanadas.