We all know empanadas as a staple in Argentina, but what about the rest of the world? Latin America is loaded with regional recipes for empanadas, and who's to say a steamy Chinese potsticker isn't a distant cousin? Amanda Hall takes a bite into the empanada family tree.Empanadas are a staple in every visitor's diet here, and in Argentina carne is king. You will find a variation of carne (meat) empanadas up and down the country, as well as corn, vegetable, and cheese and ham filled relatives.
But where do empanadas come from? And how did so many different versions spread around world? As early as 100 B.C. goods, religions and flavours crossed physical and cultural boundaries from China to the Middle East via the Silk Roads.
Traders along northern China's Silk Road noshed on small meat-filled dumplings at tea shops as a morning meal. This cuisine, dim sum, is still popular and versions of the steamed dumplings or jiaozi are ubiquitous in the cuisines of East Asia, maybe you've heard of Japanese gyoza or Korean mondu?
In the ninth century, a Persian poet wrote of sanbusaj, a baked stuffed dumpling filled with meat, pumpkin, or potatoes – still popular in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. And the great Indian samosa is documented from a similar time, which still curry favour (excuse the pun) in central Asia and northern Africa today.
Sweeping over to Europe, the Moors of central Asia and Northern Africa occupied the Iberian Peninsula bringing a host of Middle Eastern tradition to Spanish culture. A nameless 1200s Andalucian cookbook included a Mukhabbazah recipe: small baked pies with pinched edges filled with spiced minced lamb and eggs. Starting to sound familiar? And thus the humble empanada spread through Europe to the calzone and stromboli of Italy, Cornish pasties of England and birdies of Scotland.
From the 1500s to the 1700s, Spanish traders put down roots all over the world bringing with them their beloved pastry parcels. Their influence in the Philippines brought baked or fried meat empanadas full circle back to Asia. Between Filipino empanada land and Indian samosa country lay the curry puff nations: Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. It is this time the Portuguese who, with their Moorish history similar to Spain's, are typically credited the introduction of these flakier pastries to South East Asia.
In the southern US, "fried pies" or turnovers are a common high-calorie dessert filled with fruits in sugary syrup, and in Louisiana, Creole cooks make spicy fried Natchitoches filled with pork, beef, pepper and onions. Those in Central America and the Caribbean typically fry spicy meat empanadas and in Haiti, flaky paté crusts made with lard are filled with parsley and shallot spiced beef. Fried Chilean empanadas are easily five times the size of those in Argentina, and Uruguay is known for its sweet, membrillo-filled dessert empanadas. Chicken is the meat of choice for Brazilian pasteis.
With so many variations, there must be an empanada for every palate, and every plate. Who knew the world loved empanadas, and their cousins, as much as we do?
