Romina Del Pino and Diego Acosta
By Mesh Zisso
I love Argentinian food; it’s no secret. I’ve enjoyed this cuisine on many occasions, from events hosted by the Argentinian Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Claudio Javier Rozencwaig, to the Diplomatic International Market, organized by Prague 6.
I love the taste of homemade empanadas, with different fillings and an authentic Argentinian flavour.
Romina Del Pino, H.E. Mr. Claudio Javier Rozencwaig, Ambassador of Argentina to the Czech Republic, and Diego Acosta
At the last Diplomatic International Market, after eating a few empanadas, I was curious to know who made them and met Romina Del Pino and Diego Acosta. They were friendly from the first moment, even though there was a long queue of people waiting for their homemade empanadas.
Today I visited their restaurant, “La Paisanita”, located in Dejvice, Prague 6.
Romina Del Pino
Tania
Romina Del Pino and Diego Acosta have a very interesting story
They grew up in Córdoba, Argentina, surrounded by family gatherings, weekend asados, and handmade empanadas. Food was never just fuel. It was family, connection, celebration, and love.
When they moved to Prague in 2016, they missed those flavours – the homemade dough, the slow-cooked fillings, and the recipes passed down from generation to generation.
They started in a small kitchen, which became “La Paisanita,” a place where every empanada is hand-folded, every chipotle is baked fresh, and every dish carries the warmth of home, bringing Argentina to Prague.
Romina has a motto: “I want to bring to Prague and all the Czech Republic authentic Argentinian and South American healthy food, cooked the same way my grandmother did — only fresh, and without artificial ingredients.”
The menu is waiting for you
You should come very hungry to this restaurant if you want to taste everything.
There are eight kinds of empanadas with meat, five kinds for vegetarians, and four kinds for vegans.
Handmade Argentinian empanadas with classic fillings
Chipa – warm cheese rolls, a popular Argentinian and South American snack.
Chipa
Smoky and irresistible.
Grilled provolone with oregano and chili
Milanesas – marinated meat with herbs and garlic, coated in a crispy layer of artisan breadcrumbs and panko, and fried until golden brown.
Milanesas
A special “La Paisanita” signature dish is their homemade tomato sauce and baked mozzarella, served with fries. There are three kinds; one is for vegetarians.
Asado – slow-grilled Argentinian barbecue, including beef ribs.
And of course, Alfajores – delicate cookies with dulce de leche covered in chocolate.
Plus four other types of desserts.
Prices are moderate, and the service is good and friendly.
Asado
Alfajores
How to get the best from your frozen handmade takeaway
We took home frozen handmade empanadas and chipas, ready to bake whenever you feel like it. Just pop them in the oven or air fryer and they should be ready in 15 minutes.
The dough is handmade. When it’s ready, it should rest a bit to cool down, making it easier to work with. Then, a special machine is used to create the round shape.
There are three kinds of dough: white for the meat empanadas, yellow for vegetarian empanadas (which gets its colour from cumin), and green for vegan empanadas (coloured with spinach).
There are eight kinds of meat empanadas with cheese, five vegetarian varieties with cheese and vegetables, and four vegan options with soy and grilled vegetables, plus two mushroom varieties.
Romina prepared the filling from meat, vegetables, and mozzarella, and Thania folded the empanadas.
Especially for our readers, here is a secret tip for making the best of your frozen handmade Argentinian empanadas when preparing them at home:
When they are ready, they are quick-frozen to keep their shape. Only before serving are the empanadas baked in an air fryer (the same kind we use at home) and served fresh.
LA PAISANITA
Kyjevská 341/1, 160 00 Praha 6-Dejvice
+420 608 190 008
E-mail: info@lapaisanita.cz
