THE INGREDIENTS

THE AMBITION OF CLASICO ARGENTINO WAS TO TURN A POPULAR DISH INTO PART OF A BALANCED, GOURMET MEAL. THE INGREDIENTS REMAIN VERY SIMPLE,AS IN THE TRADITIONAL VERSIONS,AND THE EXPERTISE OF OUR ARGENTINIAN CHEF BRINGS THE FLAVOURS OF ARGENTINA ALIVE IN HIGH-QUALITY EMPANADAS.

FOR THE DOUGH

Gaston Stivelmaher prefers to use beef fat as is widely used in South America for the dough, but butter or oil is used in these recipes as it is simpler for the domestic kitchen, and also works well. Then only flour, water and salt are needed to make the dough. While our chef also prefers to bake all his empanadas, leaving behind the deep-fried style that’s very common in South America, in this book we have included both baked and deep-fried recipes.

FOR THE FILLING

Beef, corn, cheese, spinach, chicken and tuna are the most common empanada fillings today. The choice of meat, vegetables, cheese and even butter is crucial, and the quality of each ingredient can change everything.

With all the herbs, spices, vegetables or condiments you can add, and all the possible combinations of meats, fish, vegetables, cheeses and various marinades, there are endless empanadas to create. Each empanada is unique! You can create special empanadas for different celebrations and festivals—mushroom empanadas in autumn, for instance, or blue cheese empanadas for a surprise. Let yourself be inspired by the season or the occasion to create original and delicious recipes.

THE SECRET OF THE CLASICO ARGENTINO FILLING

In the kitchens of Clasico Argentino, we rest the filling for two days in the refrigerator to develop the flavours: they intensify over time. In these recipes, we recommend resting the filling for 24 hours. This step is not compulsory, however, and the empanadas will still work very well if you skip it.