Empanadilla — Peru

The empanadilla is a small pastry that can be regarded as a variant of the empanada. It is typically made with a dough enclosing a filling of ground meat and other ingredients folded into a half-moon or omelet-like shape, which is then fried in oil rather than baked — one of the main differences from the empanada, which is usually cooked in an oven so the crust browns on its surface. The outer layer turns crisp and golden while the inside stays soft, thanks to a dough similar to the one used for pestiños. This version is reported from Peru, where the empanadilla is prepared as a savory snack, sold at markets and bakeries, and served at gatherings as a warm bite, often alongside other tapas or a dipping sauce. It travels well and is commonly eaten on the go, wrapped in paper, making it a familiar sight at street stalls and family celebrations alike. In the kitchen, a simple dough of flour, butter, egg and water is rested before being rolled thin and cut into circles. The filling combines ground beef browned with onion, garlic and aji amarillo paste, then finished with raisins, olives and chopped hard-boiled egg for a sweet-savory balance. Each circle is folded over its spoonful of filling, the edges crimped to seal tightly, and the pastries are fried until deeply golden on both sides before draining and serving warm. What sets this version apart is precisely that frying rather than baking, together with a filling built around aji amarillo, raisins and olives — a combination that gives the Peruvian empanadilla its particular sweet, tangy and slightly spicy character, distinct from other renderings of the same family found elsewhere.