Galician Tuna Empanada

📝 Ingredients

• 2 ready-rolled shortcrust pastry sheets (about 230 g each)
• 4 tins of tuna in spring water (416 g drained)
• 4 eggs (3 for hard-boiling, 1 for glazing)
• 3 brown onions (about 300 g)
• 2 peppers (1 red and 1 green, about 150 g each)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Saucepan
• Large frying pan
• Baking sheet
• Bowl
• Pastry brush

📖 Steps

1. Peel and thinly slice the onions. Halve the peppers, remove the seeds and white membranes, then cut them into thin 5 mm strips. Peel and chop the garlic. Put a pan of water on to heat for the eggs.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the onions, peppers and a pinch of salt, then cook for 20 min over a medium-low heat, stirring often, until very soft and barely coloured. They should melt down, not char.
3. Meanwhile, gently lower 3 eggs into the boiling water with a spoon and cook for 10 min. Cool them under cold water, peel and cut into quarters. Drain the tuna and roughly flake it with a fork.
4. Add the garlic, tomato purée and paprika to the vegetables and cook for 2 min, stirring. Turn off the heat, stir in the tuna, season with pepper, then leave to cool for 10 min: a hot filling would soften the pastry. Preheat the oven to 190 °C.
5. Unroll the first pastry sheet, still on its paper, onto the baking tray. Spread the filling over it, leaving a 2 cm border all the way round, then dot the hard-boiled egg quarters over it, pressing them lightly into the filling.
6. Cover with the second pastry sheet, press the edges of both sheets together, then roll them inwards, pinching every 2 cm to seal well. Cut a small 1 cm hole in the centre with the tip of a knife to let the steam escape.
7. Beat the last egg with a pinch of salt and brush it all over the top. Bake for 35 to 40 min at 190 °C, until the top is deep golden and the underside is dry and lightly golden when you lift an edge with a spatula.
8. Leave to rest on the tray for 10 min before cutting into 6 portions: the filling holds together better once it has cooled slightly. Empanada is eaten hot, warm or cold, cut into slices like a cake.