Empanada gallega
The Galician empanada is not a turnover but a large flat pie of two sheets of dough with the filling between them, cut like a pizza. The most popular filling is tuna: masses of onion and pepper stewed slowly in olive oil with sweet paprika, folded through the fish. The dough is made with the oil strained from that sofrito, which gives it colour and flavour. Empanada is eaten lukewarm or cold — as a takeaway, on the beach, in bars and at village fiestas.
Your own work in that: 40 min.
- Dough 20 min
- Rising 60 min
- Filling 35 min
- Shaping 20 min
- Baking 35 min
- Cooling 15 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneStew onion and pepper
Slice the onions and peppers thinly. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan or wide pot (about 28 cm — 900 g of vegetables fills it to the brim at first) and stew them covered, over low heat, for 30 minutes, stirring, until very soft and sweet but not browned.
Ingredients: 600 g onions · 2 pcs red and green peppers · 2 cloves garlic · 100 ml olive oil · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 1½ tsp sweet paprika · 250 g canned tuna in olive oil, drained (2 cans of 170 g) · 1 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
600 g of onion, stewed slowly — the flavour base.Season the sofrito
Add the garlic, tomato purée and paprika and fry 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and take off the heat.
Ingredients: 600 g onions · 2 pcs red and green peppers · 2 cloves garlic · 100 ml olive oil · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 1½ tsp sweet paprika · 250 g canned tuna in olive oil, drained (2 cans of 170 g) · 1 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Strain the oil
Strain the sofrito through a sieve, catching the oil in a bowl — it goes into the dough. You should have about 60 ml.
Ingredients: 600 g onions · 2 pcs red and green peppers · 2 cloves garlic · 100 ml olive oil · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 1½ tsp sweet paprika · 250 g canned tuna in olive oil, drained (2 cans of 170 g) · 1 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Knead the dough
Mix the flour with the yeast and salt, add the lukewarm water and the strained sofrito oil. Knead 10 minutes until smooth and soft — firm like pasta dough but not dry; add a spoonful of water if it crumbles.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 220 ml lukewarm water · 7 g dried yeast · 10 g salt · 1 pcs egg for glazing
Leave to rise
Cover and leave 60 minutes. Meanwhile cool the filling and fold in the drained tuna — the filling must be cold or it will soak the dough.
Ingredients: 600 g onions · 2 pcs red and green peppers · 2 cloves garlic · 100 ml olive oil · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 1½ tsp sweet paprika · 250 g canned tuna in olive oil, drained (2 cans of 170 g) · 1 tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Tuna folded into cold sofrito.Roll the sheets
Divide the dough in two. Roll each piece into a rectangle of about 30 × 38 cm, 3 mm thick. Lay the first on a lined tray.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 220 ml lukewarm water · 7 g dried yeast · 10 g salt · 1 pcs egg for glazing
Assemble
Spread the filling, leaving a 2 cm border. Cover with the second sheet, fold the edges inwards and crimp them with your fingers. Cut a 2 cm hole in the centre for steam.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 220 ml lukewarm water · 7 g dried yeast · 10 g salt · 1 pcs egg for glazing
The steam hole is essential.Bake
Brush the top with beaten egg and bake at 200°C for 30–35 minutes, until golden. Cool 15 minutes and cut into rectangles.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 220 ml lukewarm water · 7 g dried yeast · 10 g salt · 1 pcs egg for glazing
Before you start
Other fillings
Galicia also fills empanadas with salt cod and raisins, cockles, pork or chicken. The rule is always the same: plenty of onion, and a cold, well-drained filling.
The sofrito oil
Oil strained from the vegetables is the secret of Galician dough — it carries paprika and onion and turns the pastry orange. If you have less than 60 ml, top it up with fresh oil.
Storage
Empanada keeps 2 days in the fridge and is good cold. Reheat 10 minutes at 180°C, not in the microwave, which softens the pastry. It freezes for 2 months.
