Spain · 40 min · Fish · Starter · For beginners
Empanadillas de atún con queso
Original name: Empanadillas De Atún (cheese) · In German: Thunfisch-Empanadillas · In English: Tuna Empanadillas
For 4 servings · US units
Crisp little pastries filled with tuna, egg, tomate frito and melting cheese
Empanadillas de atún are one of those tapas you find yourself making again and again: little half-moons of dough stuffed with tuna, chopped egg and tomate frito. This version stirs grated cheese, Manchego for instance, into the filling, which turns lovely and creamy as they fry. They're good any time of year, hot from the oil, at room temperature or cold the next day.
Ingredients
- 16ready-made round dough discs; alternatively shortcrust or pizza dough cut into roundsReady-made round sheets of dough made from wheat flour, water and a little fat, rolled thin and sold in stacks for filling and frying or baking small turnovers.Substitute: The closest substitute is homemade dough of flour, water, oil, a splash of white wine and salt, rolled thin and cut into rounds. Shop-bought shortcrust or puff pastry can be cut to size, but it turns richer, more crumbly or flaky and suits baking better than frying. Wonton or gyoza wrappers work for small fried turnovers, though they are thinner and contain no fat, so the result is closer to an Asian fried dumpling.Read more
- 5⅔ oztunadrained and flaked
- 2eggshard-boiled, peeled and chopped, for the filling
- 6 tbsptomato saucebinds the filling; tomato purée or crushed tomatoes also work
- 2¾ ozcheesegrated, e.g. Manchego; mixed into the filling
- 1 cupoilolive or neutral oil for frying
- saltto taste; go easy if the cheese is strong
- black pepperto taste
- 1 tbspparsleychopped or dried, for the filling (optional)
- 1bell pepperfinely diced, for the filling (optional)
- 1eggsbeaten for brushing, only when baking in the oven (optional)
Method
- Prepare the eggsHard-boil the eggs, cool them under cold water, then peel and chop them finely.
- Flake the tunaDrain the tuna well and flake it with a fork.
- Mix the fillingIn a bowl, mix the tuna, chopped eggs, tomate frito and grated cheese. If you like, add finely diced red bell pepper and parsley. Season with salt and black pepper, going easy on the salt if your cheese is on the strong side.
- Get the wrappers readyLay out the empanadilla wrappers. If you're using shortcrust or pizza dough instead, roll it out thinly and cut it into rounds.
- Fill and sealSpoon a little filling onto one half of each round, leaving a clear border all the way around. Moisten the edge with a little water, fold the dough over into a half-moon and press the edge down firmly with a fork so nothing leaks out while frying.
- Fry the empanadillasHeat the oil well in a frying pan or pot. Fry the empanadillas in batches for about 3 minutes until golden brown, turning them once.
- Drain and serveLift the empanadillas out with a slotted spoon, let them drain on kitchen paper and serve.
Tips and variations
If you'd rather not fry, brush the empanadillas with beaten egg and bake them in the oven until golden. You can also keep things very simple: just tuna and Manchego, wrapped in pizza dough. For a second kind on the plate, try a filling of cooked ham, cheese, oregano and tomate frito. Serve them as a tapa warm, at room temperature or cold, which makes them easy to prepare ahead.
Allergens
Contains: Eggs, Fish, Cereals containing gluten, Milk (including lactose)
These notes follow from this recipe's ingredient list. Ready-made products and brands may contain further allergens — please check the packaging yourself.
Something not right?
This recipe was put together from independent sources and checked before publishing. Even so, a mistake can slip through — an amount that does not add up, a step that does not work as written. If you spot something, write to us: we will look into it and put it right.
