tuna & vegetable empanadas

dough :

• prepare the dough by cubing the cold butter and chilling it in the freezer for 5 minutes
• mix the flours together with the salt, sugar, baking powder and paprika and place inside a food processor (or use a a large bowl if you will use a pastry blender instead) and mix together
• combine the chilled butter and dry ingredients until sandy, then add the beaten eggs and the chilled liquid (wine or beer or cider) and mix/pulse until it all comes together
• transfer to a floured work surface, compress and shape into a large ball and chill for 30 minutes, then remove from the fridge, form into 8 balls and flatten into 8 disks of 15 cm each on a floured work surface and reserve in the refrigerator, covered with plastic film

filling :

• drain the tuna and reserve the oil and tuna separately
• place the oil from the tuna and some olive oil in a large pan, add the bay leaves and heat at medium-high heat and add the sliced onions and bell peppers and simmer for 10 minutes until softened, then add the crushed garlic, grated carrot and grated celery and salt and spices and simmer for another 2-3 minutes, then add the crushed tomato and simmer for another 2-3 minutes and finally the tuna flakes, the pitted olives and parsley leaves and simmer for another 2-3 minutes, then set aside and let it cool down
• boil the eggs for 5 minutes, then cool down in cold water, peel them and thickly slice into 8 slices and reserve, chop up the white ends and add them to the filling (if the eggs are too small, boil 3 eggs instead)

assembly & baking : 

• use a large 15 cm turnover mould (or do it by hand) to fill each 15 cm floured disk with ½ cup each of the filling on one side, add a thick slice of boiled egg in the middle, leave a large edge that you will brush with some beaten egg and fold over and seal, brush the exterior with more beaten egg and sprinkle with some extra paprika powder and set aside on a baking dish covered with baking paper
• repeat the process until all 8 medium-sized empanadas are assembled
• chill the empanadas as you preheat the oven at 200°C for 15 minutes
• bake the empanadas for 25 minutes until golden and puffed up and serve with some salad.
• *note : if you do not need to bake all the empanadas immediately (2 per person are enough) then place them in the freezer, wait until they are frozen solid and transfer them to freezer bags or seal them hermetically and keep in the freezer until needed, then defrost them for several hours before baking …