Hand pies and empanadas are both savory pastries that can look quite similar. They are made from dough that is filled with meat, cheese, vegetables or other fillings, then folded over into a half-moon or round shape before baking. While they share some commonalities, there are differences between hand pies and empanadas in terms of their dough, fillings and cultural origins.
What is a Hand Pie?
A hand pie is a small, individual-sized savory pie or pasty. The dough is folded over the filling so the filling is fully encased, creating a half-moon or round shape. Hand pies can be made with pie dough, biscuit dough, phyllo dough or even puff pastry. They are portable, meant to be eaten by hand as a snack or appetizer. Common fillings for hand pies include meat, cheese, vegetables, seafood or a combination of ingredients.
Hand pies trace their origins to medieval Europe. Pasties, a variant of the hand pie, became popular in England as an easy, portable meal for miners to take underground. Hand pies were also made for sailing voyages as the durable pastry shell protected the filling. The popularity of hand pies spread as Europeans settled and colonized other parts of the world, including the Americas.
Today, hand pies are still found in many cuisines. British pasties, Jamaican patties, Latin American empanadas, Indian samosas, Calzones and Hot Pockets are all variations of the humble hand pie.
What is an Empanada?
Empanadas are a type of filled pastry common in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries, including Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Central America and South America. The name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Traditional empanada dough is made by mixing wheat flour, butter or lard, water and sometimes eggs. This dough has a tender, flaky texture similar to pie crust.
Fillings for empanadas vary by region but often include ground or shredded beef, chicken, pork, seafood, cheese, onions, olives, hard boiled eggs, beans, or combinations of these ingredients. Vegetarian empanadas are also popular. The filling is sealed inside the dough circle before the empanada is baked or fried. Empanadas are an iconic portable street food and snack in Latin America.
It’s unclear exactly when and where empanadas originated, but they have existed in Spain and Portugal for centuries, with early references dating back to 1520 in Galicia, Spain. As the Spanish colonized Latin America, they brought empanadas with them. The pastries were readily adopted in local cuisines, evolving into distinct regional empanada styles.
Similarities Between Hand Pies and Empanadas
While hand pies and empanadas have some differences, they share many common traits:
- Portable, individual-sized pastries
- Savory fillings such as meat, cheese, vegetables
- Dough wrapped around the filling in a half-moon or round shape
- Wide range of possible fillings and dough types
- Often served as snacks, appetizers or light meals
- Origins trace back to medieval Europe
With their petite size, crimped edges and delicious fillings, hand pies and empanadas evoke a sense of portability and comfort. Both pastries are meant to be eaten out-of-hand and on-the-go.
Differences Between Hand Pies and Empanadas
While hand pies and empanadas share many similarities, there are some key differences between them:
Dough
Empanada dough is specific – it contains wheat flour, fat and water. Typical recipes call for a ratio of around 5 parts flour to 1 part fat to 1 part water. This combination creates a pliable dough that can be rolled out thin without becoming too elastic. The result is a tender, flaky and lightly crispy pastry when baked or fried.
Hand pies allow for more versatility in dough. Pie dough, biscuit dough, phyllo dough and puff pastry are all common options. The dough contributes to the overall texture – flaky pie crust, tender biscuits, layered phyllo or the unique shatter of puff pastry.
Shape
Empanadas are almost always formed into circular shapes before filling and sealing. Hand pies can be round, half-moon, rectangular, folded into triangles or other shapes.
Filling
While fillings are wide open for both hand pies and empanadas, there are some traditional regional differences. Empanadas in Argentina often feature chopped beef. In Colombia, ground beef with potatoes and peas is common. Chilean-style empanadas are frequently filled with pino – a mixture of ground beef, onions, raisins, black olives and hard boiled egg.
Some classic hand pie fillings include chicken pot pie, shepherd’s pie and pasties filled with ground beef, potatoes and onions. American-style hand pies could feature apple, strawberries and cream, chocolate, or other fruit fillings.
Preparation Method
Empanadas are typically baked or fried. Baking allows the dough to become golden and crispy while maintaining a soft interior. Frying in oil makes the exterior ultra-crispy and rich. Hand pies can be baked, fried or pan-fried for a crispy crust.
| Hand Pies | Empanadas |
|---|---|
| Versatile dough – pie crust, biscuit, phyllo, puff pastry | Specific wheat flour dough |
| Various shapes | Round |
| Wide range of savory fillings | Mostly Latin American-style fillings |
| Baked, fried, or pan-fried | Usually baked or fried |
Cultural Significance
While hand pies and empanadas are fundamentally quite similar, they carry different cultural meanings and significance. Empanadas are an iconic Latin American food, ubiquitous from street food carts to restaurants to homemade family meals. They represent a sense of culture and tradition throughout South and Central America.
Hand pies have their origins in Europe but have assimilated into an array of food cultures all over the world. They are the ultimate portable snack without carrying quite the same emblematic weight as empanadas have in Latin cuisine. However, some individual hand pie types are regionally symbolic, like Jamaican meat patties or British Cornish pasties.
Making Hand Pies vs. Empanadas
If you want to make empanadas at home, using a traditional dough recipe is recommended for the proper texture. The dough can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen. Forming the round shapes and crimping the edges takes some practice.
Making hand pies allows flexibility – use your favorite pie crust or biscuit dough recipe. You can form the pies into rounds, half-moons or other shapes fairly easily. The fillings possibilities are wide open to your preferences and imagination.
No matter which you choose, both hand pies and empanadas make for a fun cooking project. The reward is having a big batch of freshly baked, hand-held snacks to enjoy!
Hand Pie and Empanada Recipes
Beef Empanadas
Make classic baked empanadas from scratch with ground beef, onions, olives, raisins, eggs and spices tucked into tender dough rounds. Get the full beef empanada recipe.
Chicken Hand Pies
Mix up chicken, carrots, celery and herbs for the filling for these home-style hand pies. They can be baked or pan-fried for a crispy crust. Find the chicken hand pie recipe here.
Apple Hand Pies
For a sweet twist, fill hand pies with apple pie filling and bake until golden. Dust them with cinnamon sugar or icing for a delicious dessert. Get the apple hand pie recipe.
Where to Find Hand Pies and Empanadas
Both hand pies and empanadas make for quick, portable snacks and appetizers. Here are some places you may find them:
- Bakeries and pastry shops
- Restaurants and food trucks that specialize in empanadas or other handheld snacks
- The prepared or frozen food sections of grocery stores
- Latin American restaurants and take-out spots
- Convenience stores and gas stations
- School and office cafeterias
You can also easily make both hand pies and empanadas at home. Keep them in your freezer so you always have a quick, hearty snack ready to reheat and enjoy.
Conclusion
While hand pies and empanadas share many common traits, there are differences between these filled pastries in terms of ingredients, preparation, shapes and cultural roots. Hand pies trace their origins to Europe, while empanadas come from Latin American cuisine. Making either at home is a fun cooking project with a delicious reward! Both handheld snacks make for convenient, tasty meals or appetizers on-the-go.