noun
empanada
em-puh-NAH-duh/ˌempəˈnɑːdə/
A baked or fried pastry folded around a savory or sweet filling.
The cut empanada reveals a savory filling enclosed by golden pastry.
Etymology
Spanish empanar describes rolling something in pastry and frying it; empanada is its feminine participial form. The verb is built on pan, “bread,” connecting the pastry’s name with its enclosing dough.
In context
I love. I love empanada. I like empanadas.
More examples
- The baked empanadas have crisp edges and soft potato filling.
- He fries each empanada until the pastry turns golden.
- We serve sweet apple empanadas for dessert.
Forms
empanada · empanadas
Similar words
- turnover
- A broader term for folded pastries, often with fruit fillings.
- hand pie
- Emphasizes a small pie designed to be eaten by hand.