EMPADA DE PEIXE

This dish is unusual in that it fuses European (olives, cheese) and Asian (turmeric, coriander) ingredients, in a sweetish, rich pastry. Traditionally, it was eaten at Christmas time.

1 lb 2 oz | 500g pork lard
2 lb 3 oz | 1kg all-purpose flour
9 egg yolks
3 egg whites
¼ cup brandy
1½ cups sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp salt
3½ oz | 100g ground toasted almonds

Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a mixing bowl.

Boil the lard in a saucepan and pour this into the flour mixture, mixing it in thoroughly.

When slightly cool, add in the combined, lightly beaten egg yolks and egg whites, kneading these together by hand into a soft dough. Knead in the ground almonds and finally the brandy.

This dough and the filling is sufficient to make two Empadas using Confoil or similar aluminium pie dishes of about 9 inch | 22½ cm in diameter.

Hence separate the dough into two equal halves and then separate these once again into approximately equal portions. With the smaller portions shape the dough into the pie plates and fill them with the fish mixture which should be at room temperature.

Cover the pies with the remaining dough and bake in an oven at 320°F | 180°C for 45 mins or until golden in colour.

1 lb 10 oz | 750g trevally fillet or any firm-fleshed fish, in 1″ | 3-cm cubes
4 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp minced garlic
4 spring onions, chopped
20 black olives with stones
50g pine nuts (in Portuguese pinhão or in Cantonese lam wut yan) roasted in a small dry pan or microwave
¼ cup dry sherry
1 tbsp sugar (or more to taste)
3 tbsp oil for frying
¼ cup water
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Fry fish in 2 tbsp of the oil until crisp and set aside.

Fry the garlic and spring onions in the remaining oil then add all the dried spices, salt and pepper and continue to fry for 3 mins, stirring constantly.

Return the fried fish to the pan and mix in well with the ingredients. After 3 mins add in the pine nuts and olives then stir in the sherry, sugar and water. Finally, stir in the olive oil.

Refrigerate this overnight.

5 cups plain flour, sifted
6 egg yolks
7 oz | 200g pine nuts, crushed
7 oz | 200g sugar
½ lb | 225g ) lard
1 tbsp butter
¼ cup sherry

Melt lard and butter and heat to boiling point.

Sift flour into a large mixing bowl and pour hot lard mixture into flour mixing it with a wooden spoon at first. When the mixture has cooled a little, use hands to mix thoroughly.

Beat egg yolks with sugar. When the pastry mixture is just warm, add egg yolks, then the crushed pine nuts and finally add the sherry.

Divide the mixture roughly into ¹/₃ for the base of the pie and ²/₃ for the top.

This quantity will make 2 empadas using 8-inch | 20cm foil plates.

1 lb | 450g of fish with firm, thick flesh (such as snapper, barramundi or whiting)
1 onion chopped
grated tasty cheese
2oz | 56g blanched slivered almonds
1 bottle pitted green olives
½ cup chicken stock
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp coriander
1 ½ tsp saffron or turmeric
salt and pepper to season

Salt and pepper fish pieces and fry gently, then set aside.

Fry chopped onions, add saffron or turmeric, cumin and coriander. Add fried fish pieces and mix well.

Add approximately ½ cup chicken stock. Cook over low heat for 10 mins. Taste for seasoning.

Sort out fish, discarding skin and bones

Put fish filling into pie case, top with as much grated cheese as you like and almond slivers.

Place as many green olives as you like around before covering with the pastry top.

Bake in oven 350°F | 175°C for about 45 mins.