Public Recipe

    Empanada Gallega

    Galician

    Serves 8

    Ingredients

    Servings
    8
    • 180 ml extra-virgin olive oil — for sofrito and dough (sofrito and dough)
    • 1000 g yellow onions — halved and thinly sliced (sofrito)
    • 300 g red bell pepper — seeded and cut into thin strips (sofrito)
    • 150 g green bell pepper — seeded and cut into thin strips (sofrito)
    • 20 g garlic — finely minced (sofrito)
    • 10 g fine salt (sofrito)
    • 8 g sweet smoked spanish paprika (sofrito)
    • 2 g freshly ground black pepper (sofrito)
    • 350 g crushed tomatoes (sofrito)
    • 450 g ortiz bonito del norte in olive oil — drained weight; kept in large flakes; packing oil reserved (filling)
    • 4 count eggs — hard-boiled, peeled, and coarsely chopped (filling)
    • 550 g all-purpose flour — plus more for rolling (dough)
    • 260 ml warm water — approximately 30°c (dough)
    • 5 g instant yeast (dough)
    • 10 g fine salt (dough)
    • 1 count egg — beaten with 5 ml water (egg wash)

    Mise en Place

    0/5

    Process

    1

    slow galician sofrito

    1. 1.Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium-low heat until shimmering.
    2. 2.Add the onions, both bell peppers, and the sofrito salt. Cook, stirring periodically, for 40 to 50 minutes. The vegetables should collapse, become sweet, and glossy, but avoid deep browning.
    3. 3.Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
    4. 4.Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the paprika and black pepper for 20 seconds, then immediately add the crushed tomatoes.
    5. 5.Return the pan to medium-low heat. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until the tomato's raw flavor is gone and the mixture is thick yet still moist.
    6. 6.Transfer the sofrito to a sieve set over a bowl. Allow it to drain for 20 minutes. Reserve 90 milliliters of the paprika-infused oil for the dough. If less than 90 ml is yielded, supplement with reserved Ortiz packing oil.
    7. 7.Spread the drained sofrito onto a tray and allow it to cool completely.
    2

    galician empanada dough

    1. 1.Combine the warm water and instant yeast in a small bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
    2. 2.In a large bowl, combine the flour and dough salt.
    3. 3.Add the yeast mixture and the reserved 90 milliliters of sofrito oil to the flour mixture.
    4. 4.Mix until no dry flour remains, then transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead for 7 to 9 minutes until the dough is smooth, supple, and only faintly tacky.
    5. 5.If the dough remains stiff and difficult to smooth, incorporate an additional 5 to 15 milliliters of water, a little at a time.
    6. 6.Shape the dough into a ball, cover it, and let it ferment at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes. It should expand by approximately two-thirds; full doubling is not required.
    7. 7.Gently deflate the dough. Divide it into two portions: 55 percent for the base and 45 percent for the lid.
    8. 8.Cover both portions and let them rest for 15 minutes before rolling.
    3

    1. 1.While the dough ferments, verify that the sofrito is completely cool and contains no pool of free liquid. Taste it with a flake of bonito and adjust salt only if necessary; the fish contributes salinity.
    4

    assemble and bake

    1. 1.Position a heavy baking sheet, baking steel, or inverted sheet pan on the lower-third rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 210°C conventional or 190°C convection.
    2. 2.Lightly oil a 30-by-40-centimeter rimmed baking tray.
    3. 3.Roll the larger dough portion to approximately 2.5 millimeters thickness. Ensure it is large enough to line the prepared tray, with a 2-centimeter overhang on all sides.
    4. 4.In a separate bowl, gently combine the drained bonito flakes and the coarsely chopped hard-boiled eggs with the completely cooled sofrito. Maintain the distinct flakiness of the fish.
    5. 5.Spread this filling evenly over the dough-lined tray, maintaining a 2.5-centimeter border. Aim for a broad, relatively thin layer, avoiding a central mound.
    6. 6.Roll the remaining dough portion to approximately 2 millimeters thickness. Carefully lay it over the filling.
    7. 7.Press out any trapped air from between the layers. Trim any excess dough. Fold the overhang of the base dough up and over the lid dough, then crimp firmly to seal.
    8. 8.Use any dough trimmings to create decorative elements, such as a simple cord or leaf pattern.
    9. 9.Cut a 2-centimeter steam vent in the center of the lid. Additionally, prick the lid in four or five other places to allow steam to escape.
    10. 10.Brush the entire surface of the lid evenly with the prepared egg wash.
    11. 11.Carefully place the baking tray directly onto the preheated surface in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
    12. 12.Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C conventional or 175°C convection. Continue baking for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and crisp, especially on the bottom.
    13. 13.Remove the empanada from the oven and let it cool on the tray for at least 30 minutes before cutting.
    5

    1. 1.Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into generous squares. The filling should be settled and cohesive rather than molten.

    Plating

    • Present the entire empanada at the table before slicing to showcase its burnished crust as part of the presentation.
    • Cut into eight main-course portions or twelve smaller appetizer-sized pieces.
    • Accompany with a sharply dressed green salad or roasted peppers.
    • Avoid serving with rich side dishes that might overpower or compete with the empanada's flavors.

    Sensory Checks

    Texture

    The crust should be thin and crisp, particularly at the edges and underside, with a texture that is slightly bread-like rather than flaky like puff pastry.

    Aroma

    The sofrito must taste deeply sweet and savory, with paprika providing warmth and aroma, not bitterness.

    Check

    The filling should remain moist but release no liquid when a slice is lifted.

    Check

    Large, distinct flakes of bonito should be visible within the mixture of onions, peppers, and egg.

    Check

    The bottom crust must be fully baked and robust enough to support a slice held by hand.

    Seal / Structure

    The empanada's flavors should integrate and deepen after resting for 30 to 60 minutes, presenting a more harmonious taste than when freshly baked.

    Common Errors

    • ⚠ Using ventresca tuna diminishes its delicate texture and richness when baked within a strongly flavored filling.
    • ⚠ Adding the bonito to hot sofrito results in overcooking, breaking the fish into dry threads.
    • ⚠ Insufficiently reducing or draining the sofrito leads to a soggy base and potential leakage from the seams.
    • ⚠ Rolling the dough too thickly transforms the empanada into a dense bread loaf rather than a delicate filled pie.
    • ⚠ Overfilling the center instead of spreading the filling broadly causes the bottom crust to remain underbaked and results in poorly formed slices.
    • ⚠ Omitting the central steam vent traps moisture, potentially causing the lid to separate from the filling.
    • ⚠ Slicing the empanada immediately after baking allows the filling to spill out and makes the crust seem softer than it is.

    Notes

    • The sofrito can be prepared up to one day in advance. Ensure it is at cool room temperature before assembling the empanada.
    • For an overnight dough preparation: use 2 grams of instant yeast instead of 5 grams. Ferment at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 60 minutes before you plan to roll the dough.
    • When preparing two empanadas for a Sunday meal, make separate dough batches. Use 90 milliliters of oil from the tuna sofrito for this dough, and 90 milliliters of cooking fat or oil from the sweet-beef filling for its counterpart.
    • Keep the two distinct fillings separate. While they may share a similar dough structure, their flavor profiles should remain unique.
    • Green olives are intentionally omitted to allow the primary flavors of bonito, slow-cooked sofrito, paprika, and egg to be the focus.
    • The reserved Ortiz oil can be used to supplement the sofrito oil in the dough if needed. However, the dough should not become greasy.

    Amanah Compilation

    Engine: Amanah Engine v1.0

    Structural completeness: 95%

    Flagged:

    • The baseRatio calculation for salt and yeast might need adjustment based on precise ingredient density.
    • The exact 'count' unit for eggs is a common convention but could be normalized to grams if more precision was required.

    Techniques in this recipe