Piquant Tuna Appetizers

Published On 21 January, 2013 | Kosher, Kosher Connection, Side Dish

About a month ago, Jamie Geller, Author of the Quick & Kosher series and a fellow Kosher Connection member, shared her photos and thoughts as she went about an average day in Jerusalem.  She shopped the shuk (outdoor market) and snapped photos as she jumped in and out cabs all over the neighborhood that I used to live in.  Having left Israel almost three years ago, and recently starting to save up for a visit, something divine told me this post was written for me.  Through Jamie’s writing I could re-live the shuk I used to visit every Friday, and my eyes squinted from the heat of the Jerusalem sun as I looked at her photo of the Montefiore Windmill.  For a moment, I re-lived some of the things I used to love about living in Jerusalem.  This moment of peace wasn’t the only thing I discovered through reading Jamie’s post, she also introduced me to the world of Israeli and Hebrew language food bloggers, among others, Maryline of Ma Blogeria who moved to Israel from France 25 years ago.

This month’s Kosher Connection theme is Mini food, and after deciding not to make felafel or polenta bites with a mushroom ragu for this month’s contribution, I was still wondering what my post would be.  I browsed the food blogs I read hoping something would stand out, and it certainly did.  These piquant tuna appetizers, perhaps more accurately translated from the Hebrew לחמניות קשת במילוי טונה פיקנטית as small rainbow rolls filled with piquant tuna, can be made as mini-rolls or a larger roll that you can slice to serve.  I exchanged some emails with Maryline of Ma Blogeria and she was happy for me to share this recipe with you.

Piquant Tuna Appetizers

If you can read Hebrew, see the original recipe at Ma Blogeria.  This is my version, adapted for for my palate and the American pantry.  I did take a shortcut and use a roll of puff pastry rather than making my own – a shortcut that likely doesn’t do the original justice but I am comfortable with when I have ten dinner guests and I am cooking on a schedule.   You will need the following ingredients to make the piquant tuna fulling.

  • 2 cans of tuna in water
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 yellow pepper
  • 3 clove of garlic
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • salt and pepper
  • siracha
  • coconut oil for cooking

Assuming you’re using frozen pastry, take this out of the freezer now so it can defrost enough for you to work with.  Put two teaspoons of coconut oil in a skillet and put on a low heat.  Dice the yellow and red peppers and saute lightly until they are soft, then chop and add the garlic, cook for another two minutes.

Now add one cup of diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of paprika, half a teaspoon of cumin and a touch of salt and pepper to taste.  Stir, then hit with a dash of sriracha, a little will go a long way.  Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and the liquid has all but evaporated, then add the tuna, mix well and remove from the heat so it can cool.

Piquant Tina Filling in Pastry

Now is a good time to pre-heat the oven to 375.  Once your tuna filling has cooled, spoon it on to the pastry.  Don’t put it right in the middle, if you look at the photo above you’ll see it’s about three quarters closer to one side.  Leave some room at both ends so that the filling doesn’t seep out of the ends when it cooks.

Filled tuna pastry

Fold the shorter edge of the pastry over the tuna and use a knife cut lines in the longer side – but do not cut all the way to the edge, leave about a thumb-width of the party uncut at the end.  Now, gently roll the shorter, tuna filled side of the the pastry over the cut side of the pastry.

Tuna rolls brushed with eggwash

Once you have rolled the pastry, shape the appetizers into an arch and brush them with egg wash.  You can sprinkle with sesame seeds or oats for garnish.  Black sesame seeds offer a beautiful contrast.  Lay a silpat on a cookie sheet and put into your preheated oven (375 degrees) and bake until they are golden brown and beautiful.  This will take 8-15 minutes so set a timer and check them often so not to overcook.

Piquant Tuna Rolls

Be sure to check out the rest of the Kosher Connections recipes for the month, below.

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This American Bite has been nominated for an award in the “Best Kosher Food Blog” category in the “Best of Kosher” awards by Joy of Kosher.  You can vote for This American Bite daily until February 8, 2013!

Enter today and every day until January 22, 2013 to with organic, grass feed and kosher lamb just like the roast I used in my Lamb Wellington recipe.



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