Repulgue - Empanada Folding Technique Covered at Teresita's Cooking Class

One of the specialties of the Argentina cuisine is the empanadas. There are many varieties of this simple to make turnovers to satisfy all kind of preferences. In addition to “locro” and “tamales”, the empanadas take part on the typical and most traditional dishes of the northwestern part of the country. The filling, seasoning and condiments could change according to the different provinces where empanadas are made. The classic type of empanada is the one made of meat (chopped or ground beef, mild or hot, salty or sweet, with or without vegetables depending on the origin).

In Buenos Aires, the empanada offer is huge. It is possible to find more than twenty varieties of fillings. Therefore, there is a peculiar well to identify the same: the “repulgue” (type of folds).

Typical Beed empanada folding

The usual types besides the meat ones are: ham and cheese, and chicken, and each of them have a particular “repulgue” in order to identify it.  The common braided fold is used for the beef ones, and additional marks such as little holes on top or bended tips are to distinguish different meat options; the small baskets are used for the ham & cheese ones, and other types derived from this that also contain cheese (caprese, blue cheese, onion & cheese, and sweet corn, among others); while the ones pinched on top are typically the chicken ones. Sometimes, it is possible to order not only Argentinean empanadas but also Arabian ones, called Fatai, and this one in particular, has a triangle fold with a small hole in the middle so you can add lemon or hot sauce.

Together with the pizza, this is one of the most requested foods for delivery. For this purpose, the restaurants would send together with order a list of all the types with small drawings of the folds to identify each empanada. The particular “repulgue” used usually varies from one restaurant to another. Besides, since it is possible to order oven-baked or fried empanadas, some special folds are preferred to resist the heat of boiling oil and not open when the filling starts melting.

The “repulgues” can be made manually or with a special appliance, but for homemade empanadas there is a useful trick: after folding over the circle with contents, you can achieve a neat fold by crimping down the edges with a fork. Another important tip, is to stick the edges is to wet your finger with water and rub it along the inside edge of the dough.

History of Mate

History says that a man named Irala, who was on several expeditions throughout South America at the time, saw this drink that we call Mate in Argentina for the first time in 1537 on the native Indians from the land. It was only really confirmed when in 1544 another man named Hernando Arias de Saavedra wrote on his traveling journals that he saw the natives carrying a leather sack called guayaca, which inside contained crushed herbs called Ka’a and that they would serve this in a dried pumpkin shell called Mati. He wrote that the natives would either chew on these herbs or serve it with water on the Mati and suck the tea out of a straw made out of a cane called Tacuara. Just like Argentines do today.

Mate survived extinction by the Jesuit missions of the 1600’s and their desire to abolish it because it was labeled a drug of sorts and prohibited to the residents – only to later be allowed once again in preference to alcohol consumption. It also went on to be exported to Europe as the “Tea of the Jesuits” with not much repercusion or popularity therefore losing it’s charm to colonizers.

In 1810 the Argentine General Manuel Belgrano in his expedition to Paraguay, again kept the Mate alive by dictating a ban prohibiting the cutting down of Yerba mate trees and fining those who did. This is a point of reference to the importance that this cultural national drink was beginning to have on the early population of Argentina and of course Paraguay and Brazil.

They also say the Argentine Gaucho had a big part in keeping the Mate alive and that this drink was the perfect companion to the lonely pampean Gaucho.

By 1881, five German families were formed in San Bernardino, a colony in the Paraguayan border of Argentina. It’s main founder was Bernhard Forster – once a professor at the Univ. of Berlin known for his racist and nationalist/socialist ideology – who moved to Paraguay with his wife Elizabeth Nietzche (sister of the famed philosopher) to start this colony. In 1896, one of the temporary residents of this german colony was a man named Federico Neumann who through trial and error achieved a new method to grow Mate based on the native techniques that had been lost through the colonization of the land.

Mate only grew in hot and humid earth therefore making the southern end of Brazil, Paraguay and the northern part of Argentina the ideal place to grow it. For this and the fact that you need fresh seeds (not dried) to grow it, Mate could not be transported to other zones even to those with similar climate conditions for its harvest.

Only after Neumanns numerous investigations and research Mate begins to be harvested by 1911 and expands through to Uruguay and other parts of South America in 1935.

Argentine BBQ - Grilling in Argentina

In Argentina the best known and key ingredient to our meals is cow meat or red meat. It’s also well known that  Argentine meat tastes and looks different then in the rest of the world since cows here are grass fed and allowed to graze the land for at least 4 – 5 years.

History goes that in 1556 the brothers Goes brought down a bull and seven cows from the southern tip of what is now Brazil and left these animals alone to run free in the Pampa (this word actually means roam free with no disturbance) and then these began to reproduce extraordinarily. These cows were not owned by anyone and any citizen passing by, which in all fairness weren’t many, could grab as many as they wanted as long as they kept it under a 12,000 cow per person quota.

It’s calculated that by the 18th century there were an estimated 40 million cattle roaming the fields.

Gauchos preparing Argentine BBQ

By then the Argentine Gaucho (a nomadic Pampa resident) would carry around a sharp native knife (facon) to cut up and roast a cow. Creating, without their knowledge, the legendary Argentine Asado (social technique for cooking cow meat in a Parilla or Barbecue).

And yes, the Asado is a very social gathering for Argentines! An average person in Argentina eats 2 asados a month!!! Groups of family and friends are usually called to gather on Saturday or Sunday night to eat an asado at someones home. Also, there are restaurants all over the city of Buenos Aires and the rest of the provinces in Argentina that offer this legendary meal.

The meat is not marinated, just salted with Sal Parrillera (a special salt for asados, very much like sea salt) and it is slow cooked for around two hours, using burning hot coals below the meat and different distances throughout the process.

A typical asado consists of the parts Asado de Tira, Vacio, Chinchulines, Mollejas, Chorizo and Morcilla and they are accompanied by a couple different sauces…one of them called Salsa Criolla which is a sauce of onion, tomato and vinegar and another called Chimichurri which is chopped parsley, oregano, salt, garlic, pepper, paprika and onion with olive oil (we gave you other recipes in our blog as well).

Argentine Brisket Prepared at Cooking With Teresita

In Argentina the traditional asado is often made with Achuras (offal or entrails) like the above mentioned chinchulines and tripa gorda (chitterlings), mollejas (sweetbreads), morcilla (blood sausage) and chorizo (large barbecue sausage).

Everyone has their favorite. Most of our friends love vacio since it is a vender tender and juicy type of red meat, while others prefer asado de tira which is the prime rib of the cow. Either type cut is very unlikely anywhere else in the world and make the asado a different meat eating experience.

The equivalent or translation for most of the Argentine cuts are difficult but there are some similarities….for example:

The typical meat cuts in Argentina are:

Cow meat cuts in Argentin

1. Costillar
2. Marucha o Paleta
3. Azotillo
4. Bife de costilla
5. Lomo
6. Cuadril
7. Nalga
8. Vacío
9. Matambre

While the typical USA American cuts are:

America (USA) meat cuts for barbecue

A Chuck
B Ribs
C Loin
D Sirloin
E Rump
F Round
G Brisket
H Foreshank
I Plate
J Flank
K Hind shank

The international cuts in both English and Spanish are:

• Aguja: Chuck, Chuck roast
• Asado: Short ribs, Roast prime ribs
• Bifes de chorizos: Rump steak
• Bifes de costilla: T-bone steaks
• Bola de lomo: Shin of beef
• Carnaza: Stewing beef
• Cogote: Neck
• Colita de cuadril: Tail of rump
• Cuadrada: Bottom round, Stewing beef
• Cuadril: Rump roast, Rump steaks
• Entraña: Thin skirt
• Falda: Skirt steak
• Falda con hueso: Skirt steak with bone
• Lomo: Tenderloin
• Matambre: Flank steak
• Nalga: Standing rump
• Ossobuco: Shin
• Paleta: Blade steak
• Palomita: Butterfly cut
• Peceto: Round steaks, Roast eye of round
• Tortuguita: Flat
• Vacío: Flank steak

So there you have it. Really a must in Argentine (and latin american) cuisine.

Bon appetit!

When it comes to spices, some of us, Argentines will be the first to admit that the bulk of our traditional dishes lack intense flavors.  Chimichurri is certainly an exception.

Argentine Chimichurri

Since the 1800s it has been the official steak accompaniment at Argentine asados (barbeques) from marinade to dipping sauce.  Place a few spoonfuls of the spicy creation on a tasty Argentine steak and you’ll quickly realize why it’s so popular.  As with all recipes there are variations, but most people stick with the same basic ingredients.

A dear friend of mine makes chimichurri wonderfully. She adds olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, onion, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper, and hot chili flakes.  The tang of the vinegar along with the garlic and combination of spices are the perfect compliment to a truly superior steak.

Argentina and Uruguay are the countries where chimichurri is used as a national condiment and it has hundred of versions or flavours.  The sauce can also be used on vegetables particularly with grilled or fried tomatoes and it tastes wonderful.

Another Friend’s Recipe of the Chimichurri Marinade:

• ½ cup containing large pieces of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons small pieces of shallots (almost 2 medium size)
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried warm red-pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
• Blend simultaneously all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy!

Chimichurri Spice

So for all of you visitors to Argentina who miss your spicy dishes back home, ask for chimichurri on the side next time you indulge in a steak or choripan (sausage sandwich).  Trust me, you’ll find yourself craving it once you leave.  For a culture that generally steers away from strongly spiced dishes, favoring milder options, chimichurri proves that deep down, we, Argentines appreciate spice as much as the rest of the world.

Facturas Argentinas - photo www.bloggingwithmargaret.com

Ask any Porteño and they’ll tell you…Sundays when you visit anyone at their home in the late afternoon at mate time you have to stop at the local “panaderia” (bakery) of choice before and get them some “facturas” as your treat.

Facturas I guess would be the american equivalent of pastries. Facturas are a little different though…they come in all shapes and sizes and there’s a wide variety you can choose from. There are medialunas, a smaller version of the french croissant, that are made of manteca (butter) or of grasa (lard). There are churros – there’s plain ones or filled with dulce de leche (milk jam) or chocolate. YUM! Another option are the amazing Bolas de Fraile (rough translation would be the Monks’ Balls?) or also known as Berlinesas, which are large round pastries filled with thick sweet yellow cream and covered in white sugar. Pastelitos de Membrillo or Batata (sweet potato) are also a common traditional sweet treat in most latin american countries, you can find similar versions of these little cakes in Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, etc.

Most of them are made of the same basic recipe of flour, sugar and egg and then baked in a large sheet in a high-heat type oven…not your recipe for weight-loss if you ask me.

Other typical possibilities are: vigilantes (elongated strips of sweet pastry filled dough), miguelitos, cañoncitos (little canons filled with dulce de leche and powdered sugar), sandwiches de miga (thin salty sandwiches made of ham & cheese, roquefort and ham, pineapple, palm hearts, cheese and egg, cheese and green olives, etc.)

At the panaderia people order no less then half a dozen or a dozen facturas (”media docena” or “docena de facturas”) and pricing is very reasonable, around $1-2 peso each, particularly in neighborhoods that are not that commercial or touristy yet. A typical scenario is getting a paper number at the door and waiting for it to be called and then a salesperson will walk around the store with you and grab the ones you want. Other panaderias have a basket where you can choose on your own and get it wrapped at the counter.

Facturas are most definitely included in the long list of things not to miss when you are away from this beautiful and great city of Buenos Aires.