Empanadas

I made empanadas for lunch today. Empanadas are like little turnovers or mini-calzones and are a popular snack in both Chile and Argentina. You can buy them in bakeries for anywhere between 30 and 50 cents. In Chile, they tend to be fried and come in two flavors: meat or cheese; there are also, on occasion, apple empanadas, always served cold. Argentine empanadas are baked and filled with all kinds of creative vegetarian-friendly fillings, including ingredients such as sherry and roquefort. Anyway, I saw pre-made empanada dough in the store the other day, and brought some home to try it out. The dough is flaky and savory, very similar to phyllo dough. I made four different kinds of fillings: tomato-cheese-oregano, mushroom-cheese, spinach-cheese-onion, and corn in a bechamel-type sauce. Yum. I’m psyched that I can now make empanadas at home, and plus, having the oven on does wonders to heat up the house and dry the laundry that’s hanging from the rafters.