Argentinian Recipes

In this page you will find recipes from my beloved Argentina, the food that I grew up with. These are authentic homemade Argentinian meals. Our Latin neighbors have variations of some of these dishes. We inherited some of our recipes from the thousands of immigrants that established in Argentina mainly from Spain and Italy . Some recipes call for special ingredients that you can find in local Latin, specialty and grocery stores. You could also order them online. I hope you enjoy "el sabor de mi tierra".
You can also visit my blog "Desde mi tierra" for more recipes and information about wines and drinks.

"Desde mi tierra"

http://myfavoriteargentinianrecipes.blogspot.com/

Bomboncitos de Chocolate y Dulce de Leche (Chocolate and Dulce de Leche Truffles)

1 can       Dulce de leche (any brand is good)

2 cups     Old fashioned oatmeal

1/4 cup    Unsweetened cocoa powder

Coconut shavings, sprinkles, nuts or any topping you like.

Mix well the dulce de leche, oatmeal and cocoa in a bowl and make small (1/2 or 3/4 inch) balls. Roll the ball over the coconut, sprinkles or the topping of your taste. Place in the refrigerator for 3 hours and they will be ready to serve.

Empanadas de Carne (Meat Turnovers)

24 dough discs (Tapas de empanadas)

2 pounds lean ground meat

1 tbsp canola oil

2 medium white onions chopped

5 green onions chopped

1/4 cup green olives pitted and chopped

3 hard boiled eggs chopped

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tbsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp salt

In a pan heat the oil and add the onions, cook until transparent. Add the meat, the condiments and the olives and cook in high until the meat is completely brown. Finally add the chopped olives and cook for 3 more minutes and finally add the eggs. Removed from the stove and let the mix cool down. Place in the refrigerator for about one hour. Spread the discs in a table. Put about 2 tbsp of the mix in each disk, moist the inner edge of each disc and fold in half (half moon) and press the edges with a fork or fold over like in the picture below. Place in a baking pan. You can paint the surface with a fresh beat egg. Some people like to sprinkle granulated sugar on top. Cook in 450F oven until the crust is golden. Enjoy with a good red wine Malbec or if you prefer with a white Torrontes from Argentina.

 

Chimichurri Sauce

This is a sauce that you can use with grilled meat (asado). In Argentina the meat is usually condimented with sea salt or "sal parillera", grilled ans served plain. You can place in the table the jar with the sauce and people will add it to taste. They are many variations of this sauce. You can adjust the condiments at your taste, but this is a basic recipe. You can store the sauce for about 1 week in the refrigerator.

1 cup boiling water

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar (red, white or balsamic, your taste)

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley (no stems)

3-4 garlic cloves

3 bay leaves

1 tbsp chopped rosemary

1 tbsp chopped thyme

1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsp dry.

1 tsp black pepper

Dissolve the sea salt in the water and add the pepper flakes. Let cool down. In a glass jar, that you will use for storage mix the cool water mix and the rest of the ingredients. Make sure the mix is homogeneous. Cover with a lid and store in the refrigerator. If you use dry ingredients the sauce may last longer, but you will sacrifice the taste.

Ñoquis

Ñoquis are small balls of pasta that are served with sauce. The most popular sauce is tomato sauce (filetto) or meat sauce (bolognese), but you can serve with the sauce of your preference. Also you can substitute half of the potatoes with mashed squash, mashed sweet potatoes or boiled and chopped spinach.

3 cups of flour

6 potatoes (baking type), peeled and cubed

2 eggs

1 cup ricotta cheese

Salt

Boil the potatoes with salt to taste and when they are cooked, mash them and let them cool down.

On a flat kitchen counter, make a ring with the flour, and place in the center the potatoes, the eggs, and the ricotta and mix the central ingredient using your hands. Once the central part is well mixed, start incorporating the flour from the periphery into the dough until you add all the flour. Knead the dough a few times until uniform and you get a soft, pliable dough. The dough should not be sticky or hard. Divide the dough in 2 halves.

Sprinkle the work area with flour and roll the dough out into long thin snakes of about 3/4 inch thickness. Cut the snakes at 1 inch intervals with a knife.

Roll each small piece over a fork with the thumb and make some indentations in the surface, this will help to get more sauce attached to the pasta.

- You can freeze the ñoquis at this stage by laying them out on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. After they are frozen, they can be stored in a freezer bag. To cook just add the frozen ñoquis into boiling water.

- Or you can cook them right away.

To cook boil water in a pot and add the ñoquis one at a time into the boiling water. They will float when ready. Remove them from the water with a draining spoon and transfer to a plate.

Ensalada Rusa

4 potatoes peeled, boiled, and cubed (tender but firm)

½ cup carrots boiled and cut in rounds or cubes
1 can on peas
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to blend, cover and refrigerate for one hour. Serve cool.

Optional ingredients:

Hardboiled eggs (3), olives (6) mustard (1/4 cup), lemon juice to taste.


Alfajores de maizena

2 1/2 cups cornstarch
1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup white sugar
3 egg yolks
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 can dulce de leche
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Mix the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside. In a large bowl mix butter and sugar with an electric mixer until getting a light and airy consistence. Continue mixing while adding the egg yolks one at a time, and then add the vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest. Slowly add the flour mixture with a spoon, and make into a ball with your hands.

Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30’ to 1 hour. The dough has an unusual consistency. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut round cookies with a cutter.

Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated oven 350F for 7 to10 minutes. Do not let the cookies get brown.

After they cool down spread the underside with dulce de leche and sandwich with another cookie. Roll the sides in coconut.

Come back soon....we are still cooking....More to come.

Carbonada

Locro

Puchero

Pascualina (spinach pie)

Milanesas

Tamales

Helado (Gelatto)

Pasta Frola

Pastelitos

Sopa Inglesa

Torta de Ricotta

Ask me for your favorite Argentinian food and I will try to get the recipe.