Empanadas - S. American

These empanadas come straight from the South American kitchen tradition, where the same pastry covers both dessert and main course versions. Two filling options come with this recipe: a sweet spiced fruit filling, and a savory beef carne in tomato sauce. The dough handles both equally.

The dough is essentially pie crust: flour, salt, shortening or lard, water. Lard is the traditional choice and produces a flakier, more tender pastry than shortening. Cut to pea-sized pieces, just enough water to bring it together, roll thin, cut into circles, and stack with flour between each.

The carne filling has a fascinating note from the original recipe: in South America, the savory base is cooked continuously and added to over months, like a perpetual stew. Each batch develops a complexity that’s impossible to recreate in a single 20-minute cook. Worth knowing even if you can’t replicate it.

For the dessert version, pumpkin gets a special call-out from the recipe writer. Just about any fruit works, but pumpkin with cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg is the South American Christmas classic.

Cooking methods are wide open: bake at 350°F (175°C) until brown, deep fry, pan fry, or grill. Wrap in banana or corn husks for the most traditional version.

Chef Tips

• Use lard if you can find it. The flavor and flakiness are markedly better than shortening.
• Press the edges firmly with a fork. Loose seals mean exploding empanadas in the oven or fryer.
• Brush with egg wash before baking for a glossy finish.
• Don’t overfill. A heaping spoonful is the max. Overfilled empanadas burst at the seams.

Variations

• Stuff with shredded cooked chicken in the same tomato sauce for a lighter version.
• Use thinly sliced banana, brown sugar, and a sprinkle of cinnamon for a quick tropical dessert empanada.
• Try a savory black bean and cheese filling for vegetarian eaters.