Fish Patties (Empanadas Sri Lankan style)

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

* 1 + 3/4cups + 2tbsp All Purpose Flour (chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes)

* 1/4tsp Baking Powder

* 1 + 1/2tsp Salt 

* 1/4cup + 3tbsp Unsalted Butter, cubed, and chilled 

* 1/4cup + 3-4tbsp Cold Water

* 1 Egg Yolk 

* 1/2tsp Cider Vinegar

For the Filling:

* 1can Mackeral Tuna (you can get this from a Sri Lankan store) or 

2cans Tuna in water (drain the water)

* 1/4cup Red Onion, diced finely 

* 2 Green Chillies, chopped fine

* 2tbsp Maldivefish chips (from Sri Lankan store) 

* 1/2cup Tomato, chopped finely

* 1tbsp Brown Sugar 

* Salt to taste

* 2tbsp Pepper 

* 2-3tbsp Red Chillie flakes 

* 4-6tbsp Vegetable Oil 

* 3-4 Medium size Yukon Gold Potatoes 

* 2tsps Lime Juice 

+ Oil for frying the patties (1-2cups)

Directions for Dough Mixture: 

1. First make the dough and leave to chill, as you will need to chill the dough for an hour before rolling it out. To make the dough, combine the flour (chilled), salt and baking powder in a bowl, and whisk with a hand whisk to combine. 

2. Add the cubed butter and combine either with your fingers or a pastry cutter. The mixture will become crumbly in texture. 

3. Combine the 1/4cup cold water, egg yolk, cider vinegar in a separate bowl and whisk to combine well. Mixture will become frothy. 

4. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the liquid mixture in. Use a fork to combine. Once combined, use your hands to knead the dough. If the dough feels too dry, gradually add the remaining ice water 1 tbsp at a time. Do not make the dough too wet. Once kneaded, flatten the dough into a disk shape, and wrap it up with saran wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Directions for the Fish Mixture:

1. Boil the potatoes in water on medium heat until cooked through. Once the potatoes are boiled, drain any remaining hot water, add cold water from the tap, and leave the potates to cool for a bit. Once semi-cooled, peel the skin off and leave to cool. 

2. To make the fish mixture, add the oil to a frying pan, and heat on medium heat. Add the onion, greenchillies, tomato, brown sugar, maldivefish chips, salt and pepper, and red chillie flakes, and fry them up. Fry for 1-2 minutes. Then add the tuna (drain the liquid). Mix the tuna into the mixture in the frying pan. Fry for 5-10 minutes on medium-low heat, mixing well. Add more salt, pepper and chillie flakes to taste. Once the mixture is cooked (around 8 minute mark), add in the boiled (peeled) potatoes, and mash them in the tuna mixture. Using a wooden ladel mix the tuna mixture with the potateos, combining the mixture well. Take off heat and add 1-2tsps of lime juice. Mix well. Leave to cool. 

Putting it together:

1. Once the dough has chilled for an hour, roll out the dough (use some flour to flour the surface you will work on). Ensure to flour lightly so as to ensure the dough does not stick to any surfaces. Roll out the dough about 3cm thick. Cut rounds using a medium sized cookie cutter (round). Cut all the rounds and set aside before you start putting together each pattie. 

Note: any remaining dough once the rounds are cut can be combined into a ball of dough again and rolled out. This will ensure you use all the dough and should be able to get approximately 15 pattie rounds. 

2. Once all the rounds have been cut, add a little of the mixture into each round. You can use your fingers to spread out each dough round giving you more space to add the mixture. 

3. Using a pastry brush and cold water, moisten the edges of the rounds. Fold one side onto the other. Using a fork press the two sides togther. Set aside. Continue steps 2+3 until all the patties are ready. 

4. Heat the oil for frying in a frying pan. Once the oil is hot (about 350 degrees), fry the patties 2-3 at a time. The patties are ready when each side turns a light golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, take the patties out of the oil and place on some paper towels (paper towel lined plate), to soak up the excess oil. Continue until all the patties are fried. Leave to cool. 

Enjoy!!

 On   @sugarandspiceathome  &@sugarandspiceathome