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Empanadas de vigilia
Tuna empanadas
Empanadas de vigilia: Mexican Lenten empanadas of tuna in tomato, olive and chile sauce
During Cuaresma (Lent) and on the Fridays of Holy Week, Mexican kitchens turn to 'vigilia' food without meat, and fish empanadas are a favourite: tender wheat pastry half-moons filled with tuna (or soaked salt cod) cooked with tomato, onion, olives, capers and pickled jalapeños, a cousin of bacalao a la vizcaína. They are baked here, but can be fried. Chef's tip: cook the filling until quite dry, as a wet filling makes soggy empanadas that leak.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
- 14 oz plain flour
- 3 ½ oz vegetable shortening or lard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup warm waterabout
For the filling
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 2 cloves garlicchopped
- 14 oz tomatoeschopped
- 10 ½ oz tinned tuna in oildrained
- 2 ⅛ oz green oliveschopped
- 1 tbsp capers
- 2 pickled jalapeñoschopped
- 2 tbsp parsleychopped
- 1 eggbeaten
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 14 oz plain flour, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking powder, rub in 3 ½ oz vegetable shortening or lard and add ¾ cup warm water to make a soft, smooth dough. Rest for 30 minutes, covered.
10 minStep 3: Stir in 10 ½ oz tinned tuna in oil, 2 ⅛ oz green olives, 1 tbsp capers, 2 pickled jalapeños and 2 tbsp parsley and cook for 5 minutes, until the mixture is fairly dry. Cool. A common mistake is a runny filling, which bursts out of the pastry.
5 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Roll the dough 3 mm thick and cut 12 cm rounds. Put 2 tbsp filling on each, fold into half-moons and crimp with a fork.
15 minStep 5: Brush with 1 egg and bake on lined trays for 18–20 minutes, until golden.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does empanadas de vigilia take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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