When I visited the city of Monterrey, a family friend, Amado, lovingly and kindly drove me around, showing me the wonderful delicacies of the surrounding towns. He took me to the small town of Marin where Martha Chapa has a small shop famous for her cookies, where I tried an amazing tomato empanada that I couldn’t stop thinking about. She told me how to make the jam, and, when she saw how excited I was, she gave me a large container filled with it. I kept eating spoonfuls of it on my way home and adapted the recipe once I was back in my kitchen. You can keep the jam chunky, or, if you like a smoother consistency, you can pulse it in a food processor after it’s cooked. The jam can be made well in advance and will keep for months if properly stored. It is very tasty on its own and I recommend that you make a big batch.

　　

Ingredients

makes 12 to 16

　　

Jam Filling

4 cups cherry tomatoes

　　1 1/4 cups sugar

　　Pinch of salt

　　

Empanada Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　3 tablespoons sugar

　　Pinch of salt

　　3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

　　1/2 cup crema or heavy cream, plus extra for topping

　　Egg yolk, for topping

　　Sugar, for topping

　　

Step 1

TO MAKE THE FILLING, wash and dry the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and place them in a small, heavy pot with the sugar and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and adjust the heat so that it is at a constant simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the jam is thickened and you can see the bottom of the pot, about 50 minutes. (If you want a very smooth jam, you can pulse it in a food processor.) Let cool before using.

　　

Step 2

TO MAKE THE DOUGH, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or a food processor, cut the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. Add the cream and mix until just combined. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until it is smooth and uniform, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flatten to a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

　　

Step 3

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, with a lightly floured rolling pin, until 1/8 inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out 4- to 5-inch diameter circles; gather the scraps, re-roll, and repeat until all of the dough is used up.

　　

Step 4

To form the empanadas, line up the dough circles on a lightly floured work surface. Place about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold half of the dough over the filling, then press the edges very lightly with your fingers to seal; you can fold the sealed edge toward the center to give it a decorative finish. Alternatively, use the back of a fork to press around the edge to seal the empanada. Cut 2 small slits in the top of each turnover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk one yolk with a little cream and top with sugar. Bake until they are golden brown and cool in rack. These may be eaten warm or cold.

　　Cooks' Note

　　For a delicious, quick filling, cut a few cubes of guava paste (page 131 or store-bought) and mix with a little queso fresco or requesón to fill these flaky empanadas.

　　Reprinted with permission from My Sweet Mexico: Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats © 2010 by Fany Gerson. Photographs by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.Buy the full book from Penguin Random House, Amazon, or Bookshop.