The Story Behind My Family’s Empanada Pie | A Hidden Spanish Holy Week Tradition — Welcome to The Cookie Couture-Cookie Decorating Tutorials and Family Recipes

A Recipe I Grew Up With… Without Knowing Its Story

There are recipes we grow up with that feel like home—familiar, comforting, and quietly meaningful.

For me, this empanada-inspired pie is one of them.

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It’s a dish my mom used to make, specially during lent and one that she inherited from her grandparents—while the roots of it go even further back, to my great-great-grandparents who came from Spain. It was never introduced as something “traditional” or “historic.” It was simply part of our table—something we enjoyed, something that quietly brought us together.

But recently, I discovered something that changed the way I see this recipe forever.

I learned about a beautiful tradition from Mallorca, Spain, called La Mare de Déu de la Panada—a devotion that connects the Blessed Virgin Mary with the preparation of panades, savory pastries similar to empanadas.

In towns like Sa Pobla, families gather during Holy Week to prepare these pastries together. It’s more than cooking—it’s an act of love, tradition, and connection. These dishes are sometimes shared, gifted, or even blessed.

And in that moment, something clicked.

I realized that the dish my mom made—and that I now make—may have carried a story long before I ever knew it.

Here is the recipe: https://www.thecookiecouture.com/2021/02/tuna-pie-for-friday-lent-dinner.html

No one explained its origin. No one told me it was part of a tradition.

And yet, it was.

Passed down quietly, through generations, across countries, through hands that kneaded dough and hearts that kept traditions alive without needing to name them.

It made me reflect on how many recipes we carry that are actually pieces of history… pieces of identity.

My Empanada-Inspired Pie Recipe

Today, I’m sharing my version of this empanada-inspired pie—made with love, inspired by my family, and now, also inspired by this beautiful Spanish tradition.

What Makes It Special:

A flaky, golden crust
A savory filling (you can customize it!)
Simple ingredients, elevated through care and intention

FishWife Albacore Tuna in Spicy Oil

This recipe means more to me now than it ever did before.

It’s not just something delicious—it’s a connection.

To my mom—especially now that she has passed, it holds an even deeper meaning, a way to feel close to her and to the love she poured into our home.
To her grandparents.
To a place in Spain I’ve never been, but somehow feel tied to.

And to the hope of passing this recipe on to future generations, so that this story, this flavor, and this feeling of home continue to live on.

Because food is never just food—it’s memory, culture, and love… passed down in the most beautiful, quiet ways.

A Tradition You Might Already Carry

Maybe you have a recipe like this too.

Something you’ve made for years. Something that feels like home.

And maybe, just maybe… it has a story waiting to be discovered.

Maybe that’s what tradition really is—
love that refuses to be forgotten.

Happy Easter!