The first time I ever ate Ilocano empanada was at the Tiendesitas. The thin crust color is almost bright yellow-orange. The dough used to enclose the filling is thin and crisp, mostly because Ilocano empanada is deep-fried rather than baked. My daughters loved it even if there was some veggies inside the filling. The next time I ate this was at the Salcedo Saturday Market. When you eat the Ilocano empanada, the filling is special as it contains grated papaya, with a little ground meat from Ilocano longganisa. Dipping the empanada with red chili and vinegar is something to die for.

If you want to know how to make this kind of empanada, here is an Ilocano Empanada recipe

Here is a close-up view of the Ilocano Empanada