You are hereAbout Us
About Us
While empanadas are hardly a new food, they are just becoming more widely known in the
United States and Canada. Originating in Spain, Galicia, and Portugal, then making their way to
the New World and Asia with explorers and colonists, these tasty meals have adapted themselves
to nearly every country to which they have been introduced. So distinctive are the empanadas
from Mexico that they can easily be distinguished from those from Argentina or the Philippines.
The name ‘empanada’ means, in effect, ‘covered in dough’.
The idea of filling a pastry crust with a filling is found in many cultures worldwide, but it seems
to have reached a state of perfection in the empanada. Almost anything can be used as a filling
for an empanada – meat, seafood, cheese, vegetables, or fruit – or any combination thereof.
Adding spices and seasoning can make the empanada even more special, and these often help to
give empanadas their regional stamp. Empanadas are either baked or deep fried, but whatever
the cooking method, they are sure to please.
Empanadas make a hearty meal or a great snack, and can be large enough to cover a plate or
small enough to munch in two bites. Part of their appeal, besides their great taste, is the fact
that they can be a finger food and easy to eat on the go as well as when relaxing in front of the
television.
Anyone can learn to make empanadas, they are quite simple to put together, and can simply
be baked in the oven if you don’t feel like deep frying them. It’s easy to make a big batch of
them, too, and freeze the extras to be reheated when needed. Empanadas are a good way to
use leftovers without resorting to the desperate expedient of hash. Remembering back on my
childhood when my mother made hash out of the left over beef roast or turkey makes me wish
she had known about this food. Rather than having to smother the hash in catsup and hoping that
I could gag the stuff down, if she had made empanadas, I would have been begging for more.
While making empanadas is pretty easy, the part most people worry about is making the dough.
Empanada dough isn’t hard to make, but you can streamline the process even more by using
packaged dough. Some people use pizza dough or crescent roll dough.
Besides using a variety of meats and vegetables for your empanadas, don’t hesitate to make
dessert empanadas. Basically, any type of fruit can be used, including pineapple, bananas,
peaches, or apples. A bit of sugar, a dash of vanilla, and a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg can
make a wonderful treat.
Empanadas can be made in any size, from ones that will cover a plate, to small ones meant to
serve as snacks. Use your imagination, don’t hesitate to try out this ‘new’ food, and find out
how much fun food can be.
