'Mpanatigghi

The origin of empanadas is unknown, but they are thought to have originated in 7th century Galicia, a region in northwest Spain.

An empanada (empãada) is mentioned in the Cantigas de Santa Maria 57:VI (c. 1282):Entr' esses roubadores / viu jazer um vilão / desses mais malfeitores, / ũa perna na mão / de galinha, freame / que sacara com fame / entom dũ' empãada | que so um seu çurame/ comer quisera, / mais nom podera, / ca Deus nom queria.
In the midst of these robbers he saw lying there one of the most vicious of the rascals with a chicken leg in his hand. He had taken the cold morsel out of a pasty and was about to eat it under the cover of his cape. However, he could not, for God prevented it.Rabbinic Jewish books from the same period, including the Novellae of Asher ben Jehiel (1250–1327), the Novellae of Yom Tov of Seville (c. 1260–1320), the Orchot Chayyim of Aaron ben Jacob (c. 1250–1325) and the Arba'ah Turim of Jacob ben Asher (c. 1270–1340) mention "inpanada" and "panada" as bread products containing fat, meat or fish on the inside.
A cookbook published in Catalan in 1520, Llibre del Coch by Robert de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood in the recipes for Catalan, Italian, French, and Arabian food.