Empanadas at the Farmers Market

I don't know much about empanadas.  I tried a few during a visit to Argentina in March of 2008, but overall the experience was unmemorable.  I can't seem to pinpoint what filling I tried or what the dough tasted like, which leads me to believe that they were nothing special.

I felt I needed to give empanadas a second chance when I watched Anthony Bourdain's experience with them in the Argentina episode of "No Reservations".  At first he simply and, of course, sarcastically describes empanadas as, "meat, chicken or other filling wrapped in a fairly rudimentary pastry dough and baked".  He later retracts his statement when he realizes that not only is the filling delicious, but the dough is rather sophisticated.

This is the whole reason I started my food blog.  To step out of my food bubble and learn to appreciate a well made pastry.  No matter how many empanadas I have to eat.

Luckily, I only had to eat one.

The Empanadas Argentinas stand, stationed at the Old Town Calabasas farmers market, serves a large variety of empanadas to local shoppers on Saturday mornings.

Although I was already stuffed from eating a breakfast burrito the size of my head only about 20 minutes earlier, I decided to test the empanada waters again.  I asked the man taking my order which empanada was the best, he apathetically answered, "chicken".  Alright that's pretty standard I guess.  Chicken it is.  At least I would pick a safe filling so that I could really concentrate on the dough.

But within seconds of placing my order, I was already

surprised.  Unlike most food stands at the market, my little snack was not sitting in some warmer but prepared immediately after I placed my order.  Alright, this was not going to be a run of the mill empanada.

I watched him prep the dough and filling, then quickly, but artistically wrap up the two.  Then he placed my lonely empanada in the pan.  I already wished I had ordered more.  Obviously by this time I've forgotten about the burrito in my already full stomach.

As I enjoyed my order, I realized that the empanada is all about the dough.  As I guessed, the filling was pretty standard.  The chicken was shredded and cooked with a polite amount of spices.  Not too little, not too much.  But ultimately, the same filling could be served in a variety of preparations.  Its all about the warm, flaky, slightly browned dough, that wraps up and transports the filling to anyone who wants to enjoy the Argentine tradition.

The only thing left to do... pass the Quilmes.

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For information on the Old Town Calabasas Farmers Market, visit  http://www.ccfm.com/site/index.php