National Empanada Day is observed worldwide every April 8, celebrating the delicious Spanish pastry known as empanadas. These turnovers, believed to have originated in the Spanish region of Galicia over 500 years ago, are made by placing a filling on dough, folding it over, and then baking or frying it. The first recorded mention of empanadas dates back to 1520 in a Catalan cookbook. Empanadas have been embraced by many cultures, particularly in Latin America, where each country has its own variations, such as the beef-filled empanadas in Chile and the sweet empanadas de viento in Ecuador. On this day, people often indulge in empanadas and may host cooking and tasting parties to share the experience with friends.