Empanadas and more food

Argentina’s national snack food could be the empanada. On Wednesday the afternoon activity at school was to learn to make empanandas, so I stuck around along with seven other students. Ana started us out chopping onions, peppers and green onions to add to ground beef. Once the filling was cooked we filled empanada wrappers (available in packages) with the beef, a few little pieces of hard-boiled egg, and chopped green olive. She showed us how to neatly fold and seal the wrapper, and into a very hot oven they went. While the empanadas baked, we all wrote down the recipe and learned other food terms and sayings that have food terms in them. So next time you don’t understand something, just say “No entiendo un pepino!” (I don’t understand a cucumber) or if you’re feeling really energetic say “Estoy fresco como una lechuga” (I’m fresh like lettuce), or if feeling particularly kindly to your significant other, try “Sos mi media naranja” (You’re my half orange = other half).

Empanadas
2.2 lbs ground beef
2.2 lbs finely chopped onion
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped in small pieces
Spices – salt, pepper, dried oregano, cumin, garlic, dried basil, dried parsley, paprika, dash of cayenne maybe
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced in medium pieces
Handful green olives, sliced
2 eggs, beaten
50+ empanada wrappers (La Espanola and La Saltena were recommended brands, wrappers are basically a pie dough type dough)

Heat the oven to hot (450?). Saute the onions in oil until clear. Add the ground beef, green onions and bell pepper and spices. Saute until beef is cooked through. Let filling cool in refrigerator 2 hours or overnight. Fill wrappers with a spoonful of filling, a few pieces of hard boiled egg, and a few pieces of green olive. Wet the edges of wrapper, fold in half and fold edges to seal. Brush top with beaten egg. Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot.

Today, Friday, school extra-curricular activities included an asado (barbecue) at lunch time and music. For the asado there were grilled chorizo and blood sausages, and a couple cuts of beef. Also salad as a relief from meat! Two big bottles of red wine made the rounds and the meal was finished off with deliciously refreshing watermelon slices. It is in the mid 90s today. Afterwards we adjourned back to the indoors where we could make as much noise as we wanted. Two musicians who are in a Mendoza band came and told us about the traditional latin rhythms with demonstrations and group participation. They play tonight at midnight with their 8 piece band at a bar and again on Sunday at the park so we hope to hear them in full swing.