Empanada de Carne o de Pescado (Revisited)


Empanada de Carne o de Pescado 
Prepared December 16, 2013
 
Original:

Has de tomar la carne o el pescado, y darle un hervor; mas si fuere carne, hierva mas que el pescado; y desque haya bien hervido, quitarlo del fuego y ponerlo en agua fría; y después hacer la empanada, y ponerle la carne o el pescado cortado a pedazos pequeños, tan grandes como los dos dedos, y aun menores y ponlos en la empanada, y después vaya al horno y hacer un agujero encima del cobertor de la empanada porque pueda respirar, que de otra manera reventaría en el horno; y cuando pusieres la carne en la empanada poner también la salsa fina con ella, y si fuere de pescado, carga la mano en la pimienta; y si de carne, cargar la mano en la salsa; y un poco antes que sea hora de sacar la empanada del horno, poner por el agujero huevos batidos en una escudilla con agraz o con zumo de naranja o vinagre blanco Rosado y después tornarla al horno por espacio de un Pater Noster y un Ave María y sacarla y ponerla en la mesa.

[Ruperto de Nola, “Libre de Coch”, 1529, Recipe #130]

Translation:

Pastry of Meat or Fish

You must take meat or fish, and give it a boil. But if it is meat, boil it more than the fish. And when it is well-boiled, take it from the fire and put it in cold water. And then make the empanada. And put in the meat or fish which is cut into small pieces, as big as two fingers, or even smaller. And put them in the empanada, and then go to the oven and make a vent hole on top of the lid of the empanada so that it can breathe, or else it will burst in the oven. And when you put the meat in the empanada, also put fine spice with it. And if it is fish, use a good deal of pepper. And if it is meat, use a good deal of spice; and a little before it is time to remove the empanada from the oven, put into the vent hole some eggs beaten in a dish with verjuice or orange juice or rose-scented white vinegar. And then return it to the oven for the space of a Pater Noster and an Ave Maria. And take it out and put it on the table.

Ingredients:

For the Filling:
1 lb Chicken
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
½ Cup Olive Oil
1 Onion, thinly sliced
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 tsp Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
1/2 Cup White Wine

For the Dough:
1 14-ounce package frozen puff pastry
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
1 Egg

Redaction:

Cook the Chicken in a pot of water. Remove it and season it with Salt and Pepper to taste. Heat the Olive Oil on Medium-Low. Add Onion and Garlic. Carmelize until Onions are a Golden Brown. Add Thyme and Bay Leaves and cook until mixture is Brown. Add Wine and cook until it evaporates. Add Chicken in and cook for five minutes or so. Remove from heat and put mixture in a strainer to let excess liquid escape. Remove the Bay Leaves.

Roll out Puff Pastry on the back side of a Baking Sheet and trim to the size of the sheet. Prick the dough repeatedly with a Fork to release steam. Spoon in the mixture keeping it about one inch from the edge. Make an Egg Wash and brush it on the edge of the dough. Cover it with the remainder of the Puff Pastry dough and trim to size. Pinch and Roll the edge of the dough. Use a knife to prick air vents in the top of the dough and brush it with the remaining Egg Wash. Bake for about 30 minutes or until Golden Brown.


Notes: 

I picked up some Chicken so I decided to revisit this recipe while the first attempt was still fresh in my mind. I still need to work on Carmelizing Onions. My first go at the Onions had to be tossed out, but the second one came out better. I didn't use the Bell Peppers or Paprika this time, but the meat was seasoned better.

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