Most empanadas here contain some type of meat, but I've tried ones vegetable and even sweet dessert fillings. You place a little bit of filling in the center of the dough circle and then you fold the dough in half. Here comes the tricky part. To seal the dough, you have to fold and twist it together really tightly. People who are really good at making empanadas can do this part really fast, but I have to go really slowly so that I don't break the dough. Finally, you can spread some oil or egg whites on the outside of the empanada and put it in the oven to bake. Some people fry them, too, on top of the stove.
Empanadas are different in each part of Argentina. They are filled with whatever ingredients are available in that area. In coastal cities, you might find empanadas filled with fish, and empanadas in northern cities are sometimes filled with corn. Almost every region has their own version of the carne (beef) empanada, because beef is really common in Argentina.
