Ilocos Empanada
An authentic Ilocos Empanada is a classic Filipino dish from the country’s northernmost Ilocos province. Fillings of grated unripe papaya, mung beans, and longganisa (Filipino sausage) are wrapped in a thin, crispy dough and baked till golden brown for a savory pastry.
The Ilocos region is where the dish first appeared since the temperature there is ideal for cultivating unripe papaya. The filling’s distinctive texture and flavor come from the combination of grated papaya and mung beans. After that, we add longganisa, a Filipino sausage consisting of ground pork seasoned with various herbs and spices, to the mix. After the filling is added, a thin, crispy dough prepared from flour, water, and salt is used to encase it.
The preparation method is one of the things that sets Ilocos Empanada apart from other similar dishes. Rather than being fried or baked like most empanadas, Ilocos Empanadas are cooked on a special clay burner called an “Ilove” that is fueled by charcoal. The smokey flavor that this preparation technique brings to the empanada sets it different from others.
In the Ilocos region, the ubiquitous empanada is a staple of the local street food scene. It’s also a common pasalubong (home souvenir) for tourists to bring back to their loved ones.
The dish is commonly accompanied by Ilocos vinegar, a sugarcane-based vinegar that adds a tangy, acidic note to complement the saltiness of the dish. These empanadas have a flavor that can’t be found in any other place.
Last but not least, the Ilocos Empanada is a delectable and one-of-a-kind meal that no traveler to the Ilocos region should leave without tasting. The smokey flavor, crispiness of the crust, and saltiness of the filling combine to create a memorable dish. And it’s a wonderful example of the Ilocos’ gastronomic and cultural traditions that have been handed down over the years.
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