Tuna Empanadas

 

Ingredients

For the Dough

250 grams (2 cups)  all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon table or Himalayan sea salt

50 grams of cold butter, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup very cold water

1/4 cup white wine

1 egg

Filling

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 lb.(about 2) ripe hot house/steak tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup green olives, chopped

2 tablespoons parsley leaves, finely chopped

2 cans (5 oz each) of tuna in oil, drained

Salt and pepper to taste

To Serve

Lime wedges

Mexican White Rice

Wade's guacamole

Light salad

Directions

Prepare the Dough:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the cold butter pieces to the sifted flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the cold water, white wine, and egg until well combined.
• Gradually add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture, mixing gently with a fork or your hands until the dough comes together. If the dough is too dry, add a little more cold water, a teaspoon at a time.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly, just until smooth.
• Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Prepare the Filling:

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
• Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes have softened and the juices have been reduced, about 7-10 minutes.
• Add the drained tuna, chopped olives, and parsley. Stir to combine.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Reduce the heat to low and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated, 8-10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let the filling cool to room temperature.

Shape the Dough:

• Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. 
• On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a circle about 4 inches in diameter.

Fill the Empanadas:

• Place a heaping tablespoon of the tuna filling in the center of each dough circle.
• Fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges together to seal, then crimp the edges with a fork to ensure a tight seal.

Fry the Empanadas:

• Heat oil in a small pot over medium-high heat to about 350°F (175°C).
• Carefully add the empanadas to the hot oil, a few at a time, and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried empanadas to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

Serve:

• Serve the empanadas warm, with lemon wedges, Mexican white rice, Wade's guacamole, and a light salad. 

Notes