Salt Cod Empanada

Empanadas are thin yeast dough pies filled with meat or seafood. In Galicia they are filled with meat or seafood, and this recipe filled with salt cod is a classic. It can be served as a snack (tapa), an appetizer, or a main course.

SERVES 4.
Begin preparation 36 hours in advance.
½ kg boneless skinless salt cod
Soak the cod in cold water for 24-36 hours, changing the water several times. Drain and squeeze dry. Shred the cod. Set aside.

DOUGH
The dough is made in the bread machine using a flour mixture made of 1/2 cup of instant polenta and 1 1/2 cups bread flour.

Prepare the bread dough using the bread machine – my machine takes 2½ hours to do this.

FILLING:
3 dessertspoons olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 red peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips
2 large tomatoes, chopped
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To prepare the filling – Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions. Cook over moderate heat until golden. Add the peppers and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook briskly until the sauce is thick. Stir in the prepared cod and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the black pepper. Drain off any excess liquid.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
To put it all together – Punch the dough down and divide into halves. Place half of the dough in a 10-inch pizza pan. Push and pull the dough to cover the pan, allowing a 1/2-inch overhang on the edge of the pan. Pour the filling into the centre of the dough and spread evenly to within 1 inch of the edge. Pinch a small ball of dough off the remaining dough and set aside. On a floured surface, roll out the remaining dough so it will cover the filling. Put the dough on top of the filling to form the top crust. Pull the edges of the bottom crust up and over the top crust, rolling and pinching them together to seal in the filling. Roll the little ball of dough into a long coil and form a decoration on the top of the empanada. This is just for fun to break up the great expanse of dough. Something you often see on the empanadas of Galicia is an E for empanada.
Bake the pie for about 20 minutes. Brush the pie with somemilk and return to the oven until golden, another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the empanada hot from the oven or at room temperature, cut into pie-shaped wedges.