Empada de Peixe à Maniera de Macao

Description

Macanese-style fish pie

Ingredients

Macanese pastry dough

• 2¼ cups flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 4 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
• 8 tbsp cold margarine, cut into pieces
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp port

Pie

• 1 lb red snapper filets
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled
• 2 scallions, trimmed and chopped
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 1½ tsp ground coriander
• ¾ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 recipe Macanese pastry dough
• 3 sprigs fresh mint, chopped
• ¼ cup green olives
• 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Procedures

Macanese pastry dough

1. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, work butter and margarine into flour until it resembles coarse meal.
3. Make a well in the center, and add egg, egg yolk, and port; then beat together with a fork until frothy.
4. Gradually work in flour until mixture just holds together.
5. Knead dough a few times on a lightly floured surface using the heel of your hand and pressing down and away from you to make a smooth, dense dough.
6. Divide dough in half and shape into rounds.
7. Roll out rounds on a lightly floured surface into 8" circles (dough rounds will be fragile).

Pie

1. Run your fingers over the fish filets, then remove any bones that you feel.
2. Generously season fish with salt and pepper, then lightly dredge in flour.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry fish on both sides, about 1 minute per side.
4. Remove fish from skillet and set aside.
5. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in the same pan.
6. Add garlic and half the scallions and cook until soft and fragrant, about 1 minute.
7. Add cumin, coriander, and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds.
8. Add ½ cup water and return fish to skillet.
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer until fish is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.
10. Allow fish to cool, then use a fork to break fish into large chunks.
11. Preheat oven to 350°F.
12. Fit 1 pastry round into an 8" pie pan and, with your fingertips, press dough to fit pan.
13. Spoon filling into pie shell, then sprinkle with remaining scallions and the mint.
14. Scatter on top, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
15. Cover pie with remaining pastry round, crimp edges, and cut a few slits in the center for steam to escape.
16. Bake until crust is golden and filling is hot, about 35 minutes.