Empanadas & more

An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry.
The name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.
Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing.
In Mexico empanadas are normally small and semi-circular.

Empanada may have its origin in the fatayer or "moajanat",[citation needed] an Arab dish
which was introduced in Spain during the Arabic occupation of the Iberian Peninsula.
In Spain the dish is known as Galician empanada or simply empanada.
It is likely[citation needed] that empanadas in the Americas have their origins in Galicia,
Spain, where an empanada is prepared similar to a large pie which is cut in pieces,
making it a portable and hearty meal for working people. The filling of Galician empanada
usually includes either tuna, sardines or chorizo, but can instead contain cod fish or pork loin.
The meat or fish is commonly in a tomato, garlic and onion sauce inside the bread or
pastry casing. Due to the large number of Galician immigrants in Latin America,
the empanada gallega has also become popular in that region.
The dish was carried to South America by colonists, where they remain very popular to this day.
Empanadas in Cozumel (Mexico) have various fillings :
These include meat, fish, potato, chicken, ham, beans, cheese, and vegetable fillings. They all are well-known and
eaten fairly regularly. Mexican empanadas can be a breakfast item or dessert and tend to contain
a variety of fillings.

Depending on local preferences and particular recipes the dough can be based on wheat or corn.
The state of Hidalgo is famous for its empanadas, or pastes, as they are locally known.
These trace their origins from the Cornish pasties imported by British miners.
In Chiapas, empanadas filled with chicken or cheese are popular dishes for breakfast, supper or even as snacks.
(source = wikipedia)