Hi everyone. Yes, you guessed it! That is Tad Martin (Michael Knight http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tad_Martin)from All My Children in the photo (and my friend, Kristin with her empanadas). I met him at the Little Kid’s Rock benefit concert where Clarence Clemons was being honored for his charitable works with kids and music education. I overcame my obstacle of shyness :-)and approached Michael Knight who indulged me. He talked to me about how he had never been given the opportunity to sing as a kid. He was there to cheer LKR on because he knows how important music education is. Yay, Tad!
Well, I am so proud of Michael Knight AND of myself because I finally put together my new compost bin by myself and had my kids and their friends help me throw in tons of scraps of fruit and vegetables as well as leaves into the bin (see how in the video below). As you may know, I hate waste and I even hate to waste waste! Composting allows me to even use my garbage scraps to save room in landfills as well as enrich our soil.
Now, how do I tie in the recipe to the content above? Hmmm….Well, my friend Kristen served me this delectable tapa, Tuna empanada, last week when we visited her and her boyfriend, Sal. Let’s just say that we recycle our memories when we reunite by recreating our time spent in Spain in the early nineties. She always cooks me delicious, homemade Spanish food and this is one that I will be adding to my own repertoire. Enjoy it!
Tuna Empanadas:
2 sheets frozen puff pastry dough (we both made the dough from scratch but it was WAY too much work and boxed is much easier and better)
1 can tuna in water, fully drained
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 large chopped onion
1-2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped roasted peppers (mine were Trader Joe’s brand)
1 egg, beaten
Tomato Sauce for Empanada
Sautee onion in olive oil until transparent, but not browned in oil. Add tomatoes and cook with onions on medium heat, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon as they soften. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, continuing to break up tomatoes if needed. Add the salt and pepper and simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes until thickened enough that the sauce will not pass through a small strainer because you will want to spread it on the pastry dough.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place one layer of the puff pastry dough. Spread the onion, tomato sauce on the slightly defrosted pastry dough. Add a layer of drained tuna and a layer of chopped roasted red peppers. Top with the second layer of puff pastry, pinch all the sides together to stay closed and brush the raw, beaten egg over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Slice up and serve warm.
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3 Responses
The recipe sounds delish. My kids would rather eat poison than tuna, but I'll be making a batch for myself and my husband. I have a quick way to roast peppers. I hate buying a jar for a recipe because I never seem to remember the rest of the jar until it's spoiled. You need a gas stove. Turn a burner on high and put the pepper directly in the middle of the burner so the flames are all around it. When the skin turns black on one side, turn it over. Rotate the pepper until it's black all over. Be careful not to burn yourself – it is easiest to do this with tongs. When the whole thing is black, set it aside for a few minutes to cool. Use a paper towel to rub off the burnt skin and slice. This is a good way to use up peppers that are not fresh enough to be good raw.
Excellent pepper tip! Thanks, Lisa
I'm so proud of you and your composter!!! It's like green shakes for your garden! Small suggestion though – move it away from your house (at least over closer to the garage – or, even better, by the big bush near the closed up goate entrance).