On my Bagpipe staff profile my favorite food is listed as my mother’s home-cooked empanadas. But to me, the food goes beyond the flavor. The preparation behind them and the history I have with them is just as important.

The first time I tried an empanada I was probably too young to remember, but my mamá had been making them for years before then. The same recipe was used by my abuela in Argentina, and yet it just never tasted as good as my mamá’s. I’ve made up my mind that it is the best thing I’ve ever tasted, and it always makes me feel closer to my family.

The recipe connected my mamá and me in the kitchen, where I am rather inexperienced. I was able to do the simple parts as she put in hefty work to prepare them. And with my father, we would compete in who could eat the most at dinner until our stomachs hurt.

Not only did it bring me closer to my family, but it reconnects me to my Argentinian heritage. It’s a popular and traditional Argentinian dish that I have every time I go to Argentina, and reminds me of my family there who I rarely see. Whenever I went there as a child I would go to my abuela’s house where we would call my tios’ and primos, and eat together. Other than my parents, we didn’t know what the other was saying, but we shared the meal with high spirits.

So if you try this recipe, I hope you make it with family or share it with them so you can feel the sense of connection I do. It’s a large batch, big enough for lots of people to enjoy!

Ingredients (Makes about 36-40):

• 3 lbs. of ground beef 
• 4 chopped yellow onions
• 1 bunch of chopped green onions
• 5 chopped boiled eggs
• 1 1/2 cup of chopped green olives
• Salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin, to add flavor
• Empanada’s dough can be found in the Latin section on the frozen aisle of the grocery store  
• 1 cup of raisins (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil 

Instructions:

1. On a big pot add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and sauté the yellow and green onions until they are well cooked. 
2. Add the ground beef and keep cooking until the meat is slightly browned and remove the pot from the stovetop. 
3. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Let the mix rest until it cools down. Meanwhile, separate and shape the empanadas’ dough into flat circles big enough to fit the filling.
4. Once the pastry is at room temperature start filling it with the meat. When filled, pinch or twist the ends of the dough, forming the empanada shape. Place the filled pastries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 and bake the empanadas for 20 minutes approximately or until they look golden.