Mexican

Tuna empanadas

Name: Tuna empanadas recipe
Yield: 20
Cuisine: /mexican
Ingredients: 4.00 tbs vegetable oil; 1 white onion, diced; 1 tsp minced garlic; 500g tinned tuna, drained; 350ml chipotle salsa (recipe below); Pinch dried oregano; 5 sheets frozen puff pastry, just thawed; 2 eggs, lightly beaten; Guacamole (recipe below), to serve; 200g dried chipotle chillies; 4 tomatoes, roughly chopped; 1/2 white onion, roughly chopped; 1 garlic clove; 1 tsp fine salt; 5 ripe avocados; 15g fine salt; 3 green chillies, such as jalapeno, serrano or cayenne, finely chopped; 100g coriander leaves, finely chopped; Juice of 3 limes; 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Rate now

Jump to recipe

by delicious. team

delicious. team

Oct 07, 2020

In Mexico, freshly made empanadas are sold at panaderias' (bakeries) morning, noon and night. Perfect for feeding a crowd and with a range of fillings, they are a popular, cheap and tasty snack that everyone loves. Recipes extracted from Comida Mexicana by Rosa Cienfuegos, published by Smith Street Books, RRP$45. Photography by Alicia Taylor. Food Styling by Deborah Kaloper.

2 tbs vegetable oil
1 white onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
500g tinned tuna, drained
350ml chipotle salsa (recipe below)
Pinch dried oregano
5 sheets frozen puff pastry, just thawed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Guacamole (recipe below), to serve

Chipotle salsa (makes approx. 750ml)

200g dried chipotle chillies
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 white onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tsp fine salt
2 tbs vegetable oil

Guacamole (makes approx. 500g)

5 ripe avocados
15g fine salt
3 green chillies, such as jalapeno, serrano or cayenne, finely chopped
100g coriander leaves, finely chopped
Juice of 3 limes
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Method

1.

For the guacamole, gently mash the avocado in a bowl and stir through the remaining ingredients. Set aside until ready to serve.
2.

For the chipotle salsa, place the chipotle chillies and 2 cups (500ml) water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes, or until soft, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool a little. Place the chipotle chillies and their cooking water in a blender with the tomato, onion, garlic and salt. Blend until you have a smooth, runny salsa. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the salsa and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Transfer the salsa to a bowl and set aside to cool.
3.

For the empanadas, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until slightly softened.
4.

Add the tuna and stir for 1 minute. Add the chipotle salsa and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until heated through. Stir through the oregano, then remove the pan from the heat, cover and set aside for 1 hour.
5.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
6.

Drain the tuna mixture to remove the excess liquid (you need it to be as dry as possible). Cut each pastry sheet into 4 x 12 cm circles, then divide the tuna mixture evenly among the pastry circles. Fold each pastry circle in half over the filling, brushing the edges with beaten egg to help them stick. Use a fork to crimp and secure the pastry edges, then brush the tops with beaten egg.
7.

Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking tray and bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until golden and crisp.
8.

Serve with guacamole, and extra salsa, if desired.