Pope Francis’s Empanadas

Pope Francis is the first South American Pope to be elected in the whole history of our Holy Mother Church. He hails from Argentina, which has a cuisine heavily centered around beef.

Argentina is known worldwide for having the most delicious beef, credited to the diet of the free-ranging cows mainly fed on pampas grass.

In several interviews, the Holy Father has mentioned that his favorite food is empanadas. Empanadas are made from a flour-based dough, fashioned in a hand pie shape with a meat filling. The humble empanada originated in Spain in the early 1500s and was brought to South America by Spanish settlers, where it became popular as a hearty and portable meal for workers.

Pope Francis generally eats a very light diet these days, baked chicken, vegetables, and salad, but his favorite treat remains the empanada.

Here is a recipe, (adapted from Bon Appetít September 2021), so you too, can enjoy the Holy Father’s favorite dish.

• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 lb. ground beef (20% fat)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 small or 1 large red bell peppers, seeded, and chopped
• 2 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp. paprika
• 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1½ cups low-sodium chicken stock  or broth
• 2 tsp. sugar
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 3 packages (12 each) Puff Pastry Dough*
• ½ cup pitted green olives, rinsed well, cut in half lengthwise
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Preparation

• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over high. Cook beef, breaking up with a spoon, leave it a little pink until browned but not completely cooked through. Transfer to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving as much fat in the pan as possible.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook onion, bell peppers, and the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, stirring, until tender but not browned, 6–8 minutes; season with salt and black pepper. Add cumin, paprika, oregano, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock, tomato paste, reserved beef, and any accumulated juices to the pot. Stir in sugar, 4 tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. black pepper.
• Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until most of the liquid is evaporated, 15–20 minutes; taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed. Stir in raisins.
• Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and chill for at least 3 hours and up to three days before baking.
• Preheat oven to 375°. Let dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to soften. Remove dough from the package. Keep the sheets you aren’t working with covered in a damp dishtowel. Using a small plate as a guide, cut four circles from the dough. Place 2 Tbsp. filling in the center of each round. Top with 2 olive halves and brush water around half of the outer edge of each round. Fold round over filling and pinch edges with a fork to seal and crimp edges.
• Transfer empanada to a parchment-lined sheet tray about an inch apart. Cover with a damp dishtowel until ready for the oven. Repeat with the remaining rounds (you’ll get about
• 12 empanadas on each tray).
• Bake empanadas, rotating tray halfway through, until golden brown and slightly darker around the edges, 25–35 minutes.
• Let stand for five minutes before serving.
• *You can eliminate the cutting into rounds step if you find empanada pastry dough.