Why My Handcrafted Empanadas Are the Talk of the Town

What's an Empanada?

Hand pies from Argentina and its Latin American neighbors—portable, customizable, and pure comfort food.

When done right, they're the perfect combination of flaky crust and bold filling. Over the summer, I started making 70 a week, split between two farmers' markets.

Now I'm making 200 weekly for one market (plus special orders) ,and I sell out weekly. Sometimes very early.

I start with local ingredients and don't cut corners. Here's how I make them.

The Dough

I start with local duck eggs from Evans Family Market. Why duck eggs? It's pure food science.

Duck eggs have bigger yolks than chicken eggs, which means more fat and more protein. That translates to a richer, flakier crust that holds up to the filling. They're a baker's secret—richer structure, same great taste.

I bake my empanadas instead of frying them. Baking keeps the flavor clean and lets the filling shine without the heaviness of oil. Plus, you get that golden, crispy exterior without the mess.

The Fillings

I make three varieties:

Traditional Beef Picadillo: Evans Family Market beef, potato, tomato, onion, garlic, and spices. Classic Argentinian empanada. Flavorful and satisfying.

Green Chili Chicken: Smoked chicken, mild hatch chilis, roasted tomatillo, onion, and garlic. A little heat, a lot of flavor. Something I developed that I haven't seen anywhere else.

Veggie Bandita: Sweet potato, black beans, roasted poblano, onion, and garlic. I tested a bunch of combinations before landing on this one—it's got everything you want without needing meat.

Something for everyone.

Made by Hand

Every empanada is filled and sealed by hand. My arthritic hands wish I would do it a different way, but that's not how I roll in the kitchen.

The dough is mixed by hand in a big, shallow bowl I use only for empanada dough, and after portioning the dough I use a 30-year-old cast iron tortilla press to flatten.

Frozen unsalted butter is chopped by hand and mixed in—a box grater works great for this if you don't want to use a knife, but I usually use a knife.

You want the butter as cold as possible, so anything like a food processor is out. The spinning blades create friction and heat that will soften the butter.

Why People Keep Coming Back

I sell out of empanadas every weekend at Joplin Empire Market.

A few weeks ago, a customer from Argentina bought two, ate them in the cafe, and came back ten minutes later for a dozen to take home. That's the kind of feedback I live for.

Empanadas are great for a quick snack, in kids' lunches, and on a plate at your next gathering. I serve them with my Chipotle Lime or MO Fire hot sauces that I sell online and at markets. During the summer, I also make a killer Cilantro Pesto that's perfect for dipping.

Want to try them? Pre-order online for Saturday pickup at Empire Market. Orders open Sunday afternoon and close Wednesday at noon. See you at the market.

Chef J.R.