Let’s talk empanadas, a wonderful delicacy, whether savory or sweet, that is a part of Mexican culture and cuisine and an age-old tradition. Empanadas are believed to have originated in the Iberian Peninsula with references made to them in medieval cookbooks dating from the 13 th century. In fact, the name “empanada” comes from the Galician verb empanar , which means “to wrap or coat in bread.
” The first empanadas were savory with aged cheese or preserved fish used for fillings, reflecting the limited ingredients available in the Middle Ages. It wasn’t until the 16 th Century that empanadas reached Latin America, brought to Mexico by the conquistadors. Naturally, the Mexicans adapted them using local ingredients and spices to make them their own.
A notable exception became the “turco” that originated in Nuevo Leon, inspired by Turks who traveled here in the 1840s and introduced pork fat to the dough (as Emeril says, “Pork fat rules!”), which transformed empanadas into a savory pastry. Turcos are filled with meats and cheeses and are known for their sweet, rich flavor due to the pork fat in the dough. In Guerrero, on the other hand, you might find empanadas filled with seafood or fish while in Oaxaca, you might find them stuffed with mole or other sauces.
Now let’s talk “sweet” empanadas, so popular in Mexico. They may be filled with cinnamon-spiced apples, or pumpkin and cream-cheese (like our recipe) and other goodies, but what separates them from t.