By
Diego Cortés
The Rapa Nui tuna empanada is the island take on Chile's classic empanada: a hot-water dough, yeast-free, filled with sautéed fresh tuna, caramelized onion and a semi-soft cheese that melts on the first bite. It comes from Easter Island, where tuna is an everyday fish, so the filling cooks briefly.
It comes together in two parts: onion over low heat until sweet, with sugar and paprika, and the cubed tuna barely sautéed; then the dough, made with boiling water and butter. Then they are filled, sealed and fried in hot oil at 180 °C. The recipe makes 15 large empanadas.
If you like this style, try the fried beef empanadas, the seafood empanadas and the guasacaca for empanadas; and if you buy frozen tuna, read first how to cook frozen tuna steaks.
Prep
45 min
Cook
25 min
Servings
15
Calories
500 kcal
Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and cook the diced onion over low heat for 10 minutes, adding the salt halfway through, until soft and barely golden (not crisp).
Add the sugar and the paprika, stir for 1 minute and add the tuna cubes: sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the outside changes colour, so it does not dry out.
Pour in the half cup of water, add the oregano, the pepper and adjust the salt; cook for 3 more minutes, take off the heat and chill the tuna filling completely in the fridge (about 20 minutes).
While it cools, make the dough: put the flour and salt in a bowl, pour in the boiling water all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
Add the melted butter or shortening and knead for 5 minutes on a floured surface until smooth and elastic; cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Roll the dough out to 3-4 mm thick and cut 20 cm discs with a dessert plate (this makes 15 large empanadas); gather the trimmings, roll again and use up all the dough.
Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of the chilled tuna filling in the centre of each disc and scatter 3 or 4 cheese cubes on top; do not overfill, or the empanada will burst in the oil.
Moisten the edge of the disc with water, fold in half and seal with a repulgue or the tines of a fork; prick the top of each empanada three times so it does not puff up.
Heat the litre of oil over medium heat (about 180 °C: a scrap of dough should brown in 30 seconds) and fry 2 or 3 empanadas per batch, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately, piping hot, so the cheese is still melted; leftovers reheat for 8 minutes in a 180 °C oven, never in the microwave.
This recipe has a medium difficulty level, which means it's accessible for cooks of all levels.
The preparation time is 45 minutes and the cooking time is 25 minutes.
This recipe is designed for 15 servings.
Yes, many ingredients can be substituted with similar alternatives. We recommend checking the recipe variations.
Store the preparation in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Some preparations can be frozen for up to 3 months.
