Empanada

* Info on Empanadas *

Empanadas are stuffed pastry, usually with beef, vegtables, ham, or cheese inside them. The word empanada comes from the spanish word " empanar " which means to wrap or coat in bread. The empanada has many different names depending on the country that is cooking it. Empanadas are very popular in South America but also all around the world. Some countries that enjoy the Empanada a lot are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Cuba, Mexico, Iraq, Peru, Philippines, Portugal , Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Spain and other countries in the Caribbean. People in the United States and Europe also make these, but they are not as popular as the other countries I mentioned.

The empanada is said to be originally from Galacia, Spain. There, empanadas are made like a pie that gets cut in to pieces so it can be easily moved around. It was said to be made a "hearty meal" for hard workers. The Galacian empanada is usually ate with chicken or codfish. With each country that makes empanadas, there are different names and different foods they eat with empanadas.

In Argentina, empanadas are a dish a lot of people see usually at parties. In Bolivia, empanadas are called saltenas. Inside they have chicken or beef, and have potatoes , peas and carrots inside. In Chile, the empanadas their are dry inside. They have their empanadas both fried and baked. In Columbia, they are also baked and fried. Puerto Rico also has a different name for the empanada. They call it pastelillos. In Mexico, empanadas are a popular desert and usually fill the empanada up with sweets. In Portugal, they are small meals. So as you can see, empanadas have different names, different ways to make them, and different times you eat them depending on what part of the world you are in .

Recipe For Empanada

I found this recipe right off of -->http://pie.allrecipes.com/AZ/Empanadas.asp

"INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
6 tablespoons water
2 1/2 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 yellow onion
1 green bell pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 pound lean steak, cut into 1 inch cubes

DIRECTIONS:

To make dough: In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in the shortening till pieces are the size of small peas. Add a small amount of water to slightly moisten. Form dough into a ball. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick and cut into 4-inch circles. Lightly flour both sides of circles.
To make fruit filling: In a saucepan combine fruit, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Heat over medium heat until hot, thoroughly mixing.
To make meat filling: In a medium skillet saute the onion and green pepper in olive oil. Add tomato paste, water, and vinegar, and cook for 20 minutes. Add meat and coat thoroughly with the sauce.
Place a large spoonful of one of the above mixtures to the center of a dough circle. Place another circle on top. Fasten the two circles together by pressing the edges with a fork. These may then be baked in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) until golden brown.

Prep Time:

30 MinutesCook Time:

30 MinutesReady In:

1 Hour 30 Minutes "

Pictures of Empanadas

These are all pictures of different types and shapes of Empanadas .

Mrs. Harris' Website

Mrs. Harris' Webpage

http://hnspanish.blogspot.com

References and Other Links

I mostly used http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empanadas for information on the empanadas. There wasn't much "actual information" on empanadas, on other websites just mostly the recipe.

Other sites you can find little information on Empanadas are

http://www.gayot.com/restaurants/menusavvy_spanish.html

http://gosouthamerica.about.com/cs/cuisine/l/blempanada.htm

http://www.foodreference.com/html/fempanadas.html

Crossword puzzle =)

Here's a link to a spanish food crossword puzzle >> http://www.sallys-place.com/food/crosswords/spain.htm

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