Empanada

Many former Spanish colonies, including Argentina, Venezuela, Belize, Costa Rica, Peru, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, consume empanadas in large quantities. Many consider it to be a national dish in Chile.

If you haven't had one before, an empanada is a baked or fried turnover pastry filled with savory ingredients such as meat, corn, tomatoes, and cheese. Its name derives from the Spanish word empanar, which means "to bread" or "to wrap something in bread."

Empanadas come in a plethora of sizes, shapes, and filling options. They're typically small and eaten as a snack, but in Latin America, some are large enough to be eaten as a main course. Empanadas de pino are among the most popular in Chile. It's a large Chilean empanada stuffed with minced beef, onions, olives, raisins, and hard-boiled eggs.

Though most people associate empanadas with savory sancks, they can also be made with sweet fillings. Empanadas de pera (pear) and empanadas de manzana are two of Chile's most popular sweet empanadas (apple).