Tuna empanadas

Miriam, author of El Invitado de Invierno, brings us today a truly delicious traditional recipe: turnovers filled with tuna, olives, hard-boiled egg and tomato. I assure you it's worth making at home — success is guaranteed!

Turnovers are a homemade classic that shouldn't die out. I know some of you think it's old-fashioned or childish, but open your minds a little and set aside your prejudices for a while. So you won't be scared, we bake them in the oven, like Argentine empanadas, because they absorb less fat than the traditional frying method. And they turn out just as tasty.

If we also make the turnover dough at home the result will be fantastic. And with all the gadgets we have in kitchens today the whole process is much easier and faster, from making the dough to cutting and shaping the turnovers. Yes, really.

We'll also prepare a delicious classic filling of canned tuna with olives. If that seems too classic for you, feel free to fill this magnificent dough with whatever you fancy. I won't judge you.

Tellier turnover molds and Bérard olive wood round board.

Ingredients (for about 24 medium turnovers)

Tuna, hard-boiled egg and olive filling:

• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 120gr of tuna in oil or escabeche, well drained
• 1 handful of pitted green olives
• Tomato sauce to bind the Set

Homemade turnover dough:

• 110gr of white wine
• 60gr of melted pork lard*
• 50gr of olive oil
• 340gr of pastry flour
• ½ tsp. of salt
• 1 additional egg for brushing

*You can easily substitute all the pork lard with the same amount of olive oil.

Preparation

To better organize ourselves, if we want we can prepare the filling the day before and keep it in an airtight container.

Filling

1. Boil the eggs 10 minutes in salted boiling water, let cool and set aside.
2. Drain the tuna of its liquid and flake it with a fork. Add the chopped eggs and the olives in small pieces.
3. Bind everything with a little good tomato sauce. Set aside.

Turnover dough

1. Melt the pork lard and mix it with the oil in a bowl.
2. We add the salt and white wine, add the flour, and mix the Set, by hand or with a food processor, until you obtain a homogeneous dough that shouldn't stick to your hands. Avoid kneading it too much.
3. Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest for at least 1 hour so the gluten relaxes and we can roll it out comfortably. This is mandatory.

Assembly and baking

1. Take half of the rested dough and roll it out with a rolling pin on the countertop. It hardly needs flouring, because it's a fairly fatty dough.
2. With a 10-12cm cutter cut out pastry circles. Turn the cutter over and place a disc on top; put a teaspoon of filling and close the mold, pressing well. Remove the formed turnover and store it inside a freezer bag, because this dough dries out a lot.
3. Proceed this way until all the dough circles are used. Scraps can be rolled out again, but it's advisable to let them rest a while so they relax.
4. Place all the turnovers on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Beat the egg and brush them.
5. Bake the turnovers 25 minutes in the oven at 180°, with top and bottom heat.

• If instead of baking you prefer to fry the turnovers, heat plenty of oil in a deep frying pan (the pot for boiling and frying is also ideal). When it's very hot fry the turnovers two at a time and transfer them to a dish lined with paper towels when they're golden.

Tellier turnover molds

Make these homemade tuna turnovers for a spring appetizer or meal and enjoy them with a nice white wine. You'll see everything in a different light.