Ingredients for a Sardine Empanada
1 can of Spicy Smoked Sardines
500 g ready-made focaccia dough*
3 tomatoes
3 red onions
1 garlic clove
3 teaspoons of salted capers, drained
40 g pitted olives**
1/2 glass of red wine
Vegetable broth as needed
Oregano and spices (paprika, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves), flowers, and aromatic herbs for decoration
Extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper as needed
Preparation
In a pan, sauté the crushed garlic in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the sliced onions and cook for a few minutes, covering with vegetable broth. Remove the garlic and add the chopped tomatoes, capers, wine, powdered oregano, and spices. Let simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender (add more broth if necessary).
Divide the focaccia dough into two parts, a larger one for the base and a smaller one for the topping. Grease a pan and roll out the larger dough, piercing it with a fork. Set aside and roll out the remaining dough on a sheet of parchment paper.
When the vegetables are ready, add the drained and flaked sardines, and the chopped olives, mixing well. Transfer the mixture to the focaccia base, leaving a small space around the edges. Cover with the remaining dough, pulling it to seal and form a cord. Gently pierce the surface and brush it with extra virgin olive oil.
Place in a preheated oven at 350°F and bake for about 30 minutes. Decorate the tart with aromatic herbs and flowers and serve. Let it cool slightly before cutting.
*To prepare focaccia dough at home, you will need: 4 cups of flour, 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon of fresh baker's yeast, 1 teaspoon of salt, and about 12oz of room temperature water. Dissolve the yeast in water and mix until dissolved. Place the flour in a bowl, add the water with yeast, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil and knead until you get a compact ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for two hours at room temperature. After this time, divide the dough into two parts, a larger one for the base and a smaller one for the topping, and roll them out. Pierce the surface of the tart, grease it, and bake in a preheated oven at 430°F for 40 minutes.
**Suggestion: spicy olives with fresh chili peppers
