The dishes from the cuisines of different countries that we taste during our travels tempt us with unusual flavors and aromas, which we later look for in our own country. Many travelers to Southern Europe or South America try empanadas, beautifully shaped pastries that can be filled with various fillings. Recently, Mantinga also started producing these pastries. What makes empanadas special and how do they differ from kibinai or chebureks?

Empanadas are flour dough pastries that can be filled with the most diverse ingredients. Originating in the Galicia region of Spain, empanadas eventually spread throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Today, these pastries are especially popular in many Latin American countries, Southern Europe, and they can also be tasted in other regions, from the USA to Asia. The name of the pastries comes from the Spanish word “empanar” meaning “wrapped”, “covered”. The formed empanadas are baked in the oven or stove, and sometimes even cooked in fat. They can be enjoyed both warm and chilled.

As Ramunė Puzinienė, the head of new product development at Mantinga, the largest producer of bread, snacks and frozen products in the Baltic States, says, at first glance, empanadas can strongly resemble kibinai or chebureks. However, in fact, all these pastries have the same appearance, and there are quite a few differences between them.

“The dough of kibinai is usually thicker, heavier, it resembles chopped dough, there is a lot of dough compared to the amount of filling. The dough for empanadas is buttery, it is formed in such a way that it forms thin layers when baking, and the dough melts in your mouth when you eat it. It is quite a challenge to make such an empanada dough that would maintain its structure during baking, would be thin, but also strong enough to prevent the filling from “running out”, says the expert in baked products. She adds that traditionally, empanadas are much larger than kibinai, in some countries they are even baked in the size of the palm of your hand.

The taste of the filling reveals itself gradually

According to R. Puzinienė, both empanadas and kibinai can be filled with very different ingredients. However, the pastries originating from Spain are still ahead of kibinai in terms of fillings. Empanadas can be made with both meat and seafood, as well as a mixture of meat and vegetables or exclusively only vegetables. There are even dessert versions of empanadas, for example, they are filled with both fruit and chocolate.

“Empanadas, in contrast to kibinai or chebureks, are characterized by the fact that the filling is not a chopped solid mass, it is ideal if you can feel small pieces of different ingredients in it. When eating empanadas, the taste of the filling reveals itself gradually, you can feel more textures, the play of different flavors", says R. Puzinienė, the expert in baked products.

Another difference from other popular pastries: the ratio of dough and filling in empanadas is almost the same. Therefore, these pastries are liked by people who say that they do not particularly appreciate baked products in which the filling is overshadowed by the dough.

Impressed by the versatility of empanadas

Empanadas, pastries with fillings of different flavors, were also presented by Mantinga to the eaters of Lithuania and other countries this year. The idea to produce them was born from the decision to expand the existing range, and the desire to surprise consumers, as well as the versatility of these baked products.

“Empanadas can be a quick, hearty, convenient snack, and these qualities are appreciated by everyone in these ever-rushing times. We had to do a lot of experimenting so that the pastries met our expectations, we even used foreign experts for help, but we adapted the best dough recipe, selected the tastiest fillings and made pastries that can be enjoyed both hot and cold, and, if necessary, can be easily reheated at home,” he says. R. Puzinienė.

The produced empanadas are currently sold in Lithuania, Latvia and the Netherlands, the geography of the countries is constantly expanding. According to the expert, empanadas with vegetables and chicken, only with vegetables and empanadas with pulled pork immediately became popular in Lithuania and Latvia. Meanwhile, in other countries, empanadas with soy and vegetable fillings have gained attention.

The producer has plans to introduce more plant-based, vegetable empanadas or even empanadas inspired by international flavors. “Due to the growing demand for vegan and health-friendly products on the market, more options of empanadas with vegetable, mushroom, and cheese fillings can be created,” reveals R. Puzinienė.