La Pampa offers an authentic food experience

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This article was published 29/01/2018 (2988 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s to the benefit of many that soccer supporter Alfonso Maury failed a math test in his native Argentina decades ago.

As the story goes, Maury and a friend went to see Argentinian soccer legend Diego Maradona’s first game for the Boca Juniors first team. According to the history books, that game was played on Feb. 22, 1981.

“It was a Sunday, and we had a math test the next day, which we failed because we went to the game and didn’t study,” Maury said, with a laugh.

Had the course of history been different, and Maury had followed the mathematical path, he may not have immigrated to Winnipeg and begun building a culinary career.

Maury and his wife, Roxana, are the co-owners of La Pampa, which specializes in homemade empanadas and dessert items, and is located at 10-1604 St. Mary’s Rd. The pair also owns Corrientes Argentine Pizzeria, which is based in Winnipeg’s Exchange District at 137 Bannatyne Ave. Maury was talking to The Lance in light of La Pampa’s first anniversary in business, which falls on Feb. 20.

“We have our ups and downs, like every new business, but we’re excited because it’s kind of a new product for Winnipeg,” Maury said, noting the owner of Empanadas & Company by Simon’s Cuisine at The Forks is a friend of his.

Maury said everything at La Pampa, including the dough and fillings, are “one-hundred per cent homemade” and that the family — which includes daughter, Nadia, son, Ivor, and son, Jano; who all play a role in one of the family’s two businesses — believes strongly in the homemade approach.

“Each one of our empanadas is made manually with a secret recipe. We could import some things, but we prefer to have employees and buy in something that’s already made. Plus, this generates more work for people here,” Maury said.

Described by Maury as similar in culinary appearance to a Cornish pasty, La Pampa makes and sells more than 20 varieties of empanadas that range from vegan empanadas, such as tapenade or mushroom; vegetarian options, such as onion and mozza and mac and cheese; or non-vegetarian options, which range from spicy beef, or chicken and béchamel, or lamb, or the devastatingly good pampa empanada, which is filled with grilled beef, cheese curds, chimichurri, criolla sauce, and mild sauce. To help identify each variety of empanada, there is a slightly different pattern indented into the rim of the pastry.

“Empanadas are the best finger food in the world, no doubt about it,” Maury said, adding a certain percentage of La Pampa’s customers are sports fans that enjoy working their way through a number of different varieties while watching a game.

A consistent pattern he sees talking to his customers is a passion for an authentic food experience.

“Our customers love real, honest food. This is a great location here on St. Mary’s Road, and in a neighbourhood like this, everybody knows everybody. There’s a community feeling here, and you can connect the dots between people. A lot of business is word of mouth, and lots of people recommend others to come here. It’s great to be part of this community,” Maury said.

As well as their trademark empanadas, the family also makes dessert items, such as alfajores (a gluten-free option), balcarce, and roulade.

Go online at lapampaempanadas.ca for more information.