The origin dates back to Spain, but it is believed they were imported by the Arabs into Europe, following the Persian tradition.
A bit more of history
It is precisely with regard to these last that, in history, we find the earliest traces of empanadas. Even in their first "modifications," with different shapes and fillings, depending on the regions where they were found.
They appeared during the campaigns of Alexander the Great, but the empanada only reached Spain in the Middle Ages, after the Moors conquered the Iberian Peninsula.
The name, empanada, derives from the Castilian "empanar," meaning bread, in the sense of filling a dough with bread.
This same process is later baked in an oven, as tradition dictates. Essentially, it is a recipe for export and renowned worldwide, even if some countries still claim to have originated it.
