Day 2: Making empanadas 🥟
Another sunny and pleasant day in Santiago! Families were enjoying their Sunday, relaxing in the parks. We walked through a park along the river – a big garage sale of booths set up along the path but I restrained myself and did not buy anything.
The Fine Arts Museum and Central Market were both in beautiful buildings, but a little disappointing in their content. We have two new markets to discover today.
On the recommendation of a Chilean friend, we tried the “Completo Italiano” hot dog. It was a terrifying mix of a classic hot dog with avocado, salsa, and mayonnaise. Apparently a local favorite, but Pierre and Adrian were worried for their stomachs.
The highlight of the day was making Empanadas the traditional way. The recipe is from a Chilean grandmother who made it daily for a convent of nuns years ago. The dough is similar to my Grandma’s egg pastry but has milk and requires at least 5 minutes of kneading. Makes a very pliable strong dough. We made the traditional pino filling which is diced beef, onions and spices but you really can fill them with anything.
Adrian and I had a great time getting to know the two sisters who run the class and hearing more about Santiago from locals.
Pierre diverged and walked back to the AirBnB through a gorgeous sculpture garden. 30,000 steps later, he was home!
The day ended with a fantastic cookout by Pierre and selection of Chilean wine. Very relaxing!