These delicious savoury parcels are from Ferrara, once home to a thriving Jewish community in Italy, which hosted both Italian, Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews. These buricche are the perfect marriage of these cultures. The pastry is light, parve and easy to make. They are great as an appetizer or as party food and the poppy seeds sprinkled on top give another nod to Purim. 

 

Method

• For the pastry: put the oil, tepid water and salt in a bowl and stir. Gradually add the flour while continuing to stir. Once it starts to form a dough knead by hand (on the worktop or in the bowl) it should feel soft but not sticky.
• Work the dough for a couple of minutes, then wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest at room temperature (For 10-15 minutes) while you make the filling.
• For the filling: drain off half the oil from the tuna then shred the tuna in a bowl with the remaining half of the oil. Add the anchovies, olives, capers, egg if using, lemon zest and juice. Mix well.
• To assemble and bake: Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
• Unwrap the pastry, divide in two and roll each piece out to a circle 2mm (1/16in) thick. It is important to make it thin or the parcels will be too pastry-heavy and dry.
• Cut out 8 – 9cm (3¼–3½in) circles using a large glass or a biscuit cutter. I usually twist the trimmings into miniature pastry bites, but you can roll them out again to make more parcels if you prefer.
• Put about a teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each pastry circle and fold the pastry over into a half-moon shape. Gently press the edges with a fork or pinch them with your fingertips to seal.
• Brush each parcel with beaten egg for a glazed finish and sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds over the top. Place on the lined baking tray and cook for 20–25 minutes until light golden.
• Eat warm or at room temperature.

Silvia Nacamulli