If there is a typical dessert in the Huesca bakery Santolaria, it is their pumpkin empanadas. According to María Paz, former owner and mother of the current regents of the business, it has been the dessert that has made them shine as pastry chefs although, in her words, «it has no secrets».
Empanadas are a typical dessert of the province of Huesca. Although they are usually prepared for the Christmas season (since pumpkins are harvested between the months of October and November), there are bakeries that make them all year round. And there is not only pumpkin, they are also made of apple and spinach.
THE HISTORY OF THE EMPANADA
The story of how they do it dates back to when María Paz was little. «Since I was 13 years old I have been making empanadas, when we were little they only let us do twice the environment,» she says, recalling her childhood.
The ingredients are what you see, the love with which it’s made makes all the difference
According to María Paz, in the past, the «pro farmers of Huesca», as she calls them, used to come to her house to bring them the ingredients for the empanadas. «My father prepared the dough with flour, oil, sugar and cinnamon,» recalls the former owner. However, she admits that there are different recipes, even those that call for minced garlic. «The ingredients are what you see, the love with which it is made makes the difference,» she says.
PUMPKINS FROM ONE’S OWN GARDEN
One of the curiosities of the empanadas of this workshop is that they grow the pumpkins of their recipes in their own garden. In addition, thanks to the good relationship with an agricultural engineer close to the family, they can save the seed to preserve the same local variety of pumpkin every year.
Without a doubt, the empanada is not just a simple dessert, it is much more. It is already part of the history of Huesca that is kept alive thanks to bakeries such as Santolaria.
