Empanada facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids
Empanada
Empanadillas from Spain
Type	Pastry
Course	Appetiser, main course
Place of origin	Spain
Region or state	Galicia
Main ingredients	Meat, cheese, corn, or other ingredients
Variations	Pastel, pasty, Sri Lankan patties

An empanada is a tasty pastry that can be baked or fried. It's like a delicious pocket filled with yummy ingredients! You can find empanadas in many places around the world, especially in Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines. The word "empanada" comes from the Spanish word empanar, which means "to wrap in bread." This makes sense because empanadas are made by folding dough around a filling. The fillings can be anything from meat, cheese, or corn to vegetables and even sweet treats! After they are filled, empanadas are cooked until golden brown.

Where Did Empanadas Come From?

No one knows exactly when empanadas were first made. Many people believe they started in the 7th century in Galicia, a region in northwest Spain. Imagine a time long ago when travelers needed food that was easy to carry and wouldn't get dusty on the road! Empanadas were perfect for this.

One of the earliest mentions of a food like an empanada is from a songbook called the Cantigas de Santa Maria, written around the year 1282. It talks about a "pasty" or "empãada" that someone was trying to eat.

Later, in 1520, a cookbook from Spain called Llibre del Coch shared recipes for empanadas. These old recipes included seafood fillings, showing how versatile empanadas have always been!

Empanadas Around the World

Empanadas are loved in many countries, and each place has its own special way of making them! Let's explore some of these delicious variations.

Empanadas in Argentina

Homemade empanadas from Córdoba, Argentina

In Argentina, empanadas are a popular snack or appetizer at parties and festivals. You can find shops that specialize in making them fresh every day. Each region in Argentina has its own unique recipe. Some are small and spicy with potatoes, while others might include hard-boiled eggs, olives, or raisins.

Empanadas in Belize

Panades in Cayo District, Belize

In Belize, these tasty treats are called panades. They are usually made with corn dough and filled with fish, chicken, or beans. Panades are often deep-fried and served with a fresh cabbage or salsa topping. You can often find them sold as delicious street food.

Empanadas in Brazil

Brazilian pastel

Brazil has its own version called pastel (plural: pastéis). These are thin-crust pies, usually shaped like a half-circle or rectangle. They are fried until crispy and golden brown. Common fillings include ground meat, cheese, chicken, or shrimp. You can even find sweet pastéis with guava paste or chocolate!

Empanadas in Chile

In Chile, a traditional empanada is the empanada de pino. It's filled with seasoned ground beef, onions, olives, raisins, and hard-boiled eggs, then baked in an oven. Another popular type is filled with cheese and deep-fried, with pretty crimped edges.

Empanadas in Colombia

A bowl of Colombian beef empanadas, served with salsa de ají

Colombian empanadas are special because they are made with corn dough, just like in Venezuela. They are typically filled with beef or chicken. These delicious empanadas are often served with salsa de ají, a tasty chili sauce.

Empanadas in Ecuador

Ecuadorian empanadas de viento

Ecuador has a unique style called "empanada de viento," which means "wind empanada." These are made from thin flour dough and filled with cheese, then deep-fried. As they cook, they puff up with air, making them light and hollow inside. They can be sweet with sugar or savory with salsa de ají.

Empanadas in El Salvador

Salvadoran empanadas de platano with coffee

El Salvador makes empanadas with a special ingredient: plantains! Instead of flour dough, they use ripe plantains to create a sweet wrapper. A popular version, empanadas de platano, are filled with vanilla custard, fried, and then rolled in sugar. They are a delightful sweet treat.

Empanadas in France

In France, you might find similar pastries called chaussons. These are often made with puff pastry and filled with savory stews or ham and cheese. They can also be sweet, like the famous chausson aux pommes (apple turnover). Fried versions, called rissoles, are also popular.

Empanadas in Galicia, Spain

Empanadas galegas

The Galician empanada, or empanada galega, is a very popular dish in Galicia, Spain. It's often enjoyed during festivals and celebrations. These empanadas are made with various fillings, including local seafood, sausage, or chicken. They can be served warm or cold and are a true taste of Galician history.

Empanadas in Indonesia

Indonesian Minahasan panadas

In Indonesia, empanadas are known as panada. They are especially popular in the Minahasan region. Indonesian panada often has a thick, fried bread crust and is filled with spicy cakalang fish (skipjack tuna) and chili. They can also be filled with curry, potatoes, or quail eggs.

Empanadas in Italy

Sicilian 'mpanatigghi

In Sicily, Italy, you can find mpanatigghi. These are half-moon-shaped pastries filled with a unique mix of almonds, walnuts, chocolate, sugar, spices, and minced beef. They are a special treat from the town of Modica. This interesting combination of meat and chocolate might have come from Spanish influences long ago.

Empanadas in Mexico

Mexican fried corn empanadas

Mexican empanadas are quite different! They are made from fried corn dough, called masa, instead of flour. They are often filled with ingredients like refried beans, chicken, potatoes with cheese, or ground beef. These are commonly served as a quick and tasty appetizer at outdoor events.

Empanadas in the Philippines

Philippine fried empanadas, with ground beef, potatoes, carrots, cheese, and raisins in a thin, crisp crust

Filipino empanadas usually have fillings like ground beef, pork, chicken, potatoes, onions, and raisins. They come in two main types: baked or flaky fried. In the northern Ilocos area, Ilocos Empanada is famous. It has a distinct orange color from annatto and is filled with green papaya, mung beans, and local sausage.

Vigan Empanada has a pale color with thinner dough and is typically filled with green papaya or mixed with cabbage.

Batac Empanada has an orange-tinged color and is typically filled with mung bean sprouts and green papaya.

There are also sweet dessert empanadas called empanaditas, often filled with coconut caramel or peanut butter.

Empanadas in Portugal

In Portugal, you'll find delicious fried treats like "Pasteis de Bacalhau" and "Rissols." "Pasteis de Bacalhau" are made with codfish, while "Rissols" are often filled with shrimp. These are popular snacks enjoyed throughout the country.

Empanadas in Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, empanadas are called empanadillas. They are made with a flour dough base and are fried. You can find many different fillings, such as ground beef, chicken, pizza ingredients, guava and cheese, or even seafood like crab and octopus.

Empanadas in the United States

Empanadas are becoming very popular in the United States, especially in cities with large Hispanic populations. You can find them in places like New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles. They are often sold by food carts, food trucks, and restaurants, bringing a taste of different cultures to American streets.

Empanadas in Venezuela

Homemade Venezuelan empanadas

Traditional Venezuelan empanadas are made with ground corn dough. They often get a yellow color from a spice called annatto when fried. Fillings are very diverse, including cheese, shredded beef, chicken, or even shark meat in coastal areas. A popular combination is black beans and cheese, called dominó.

Other Delicious Pastries Like Empanadas

Many cultures around the world have pastries that are similar to empanadas! These include savory pockets like the samosa from India, the calzone from Italy, and the pasty from the United Kingdom. In Southeast Asia, you might find curry puffs, which are also fried dumplings with savory fillings. These different foods show how much people everywhere love a good filled pastry!