Impanata di Pesce Spada alla Messinese

Ingredients

• For the olive oil pastry
• 300 g 00 flour
• 80 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 80 ml cold water
• 1 tsp fine salt
• For the filling
• 600 g swordfish, cut into 2 cm cubes, raw
• 30 g capers, salted, rinsed
• 80 g green or black olives, pitted
• 200 g tomato pulp, peeled, seeded, roughly chopped
• 30 g pine nuts
• 40 g raisins, soaked in warm water 15 minutes, drained
• 1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves only, torn
• 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil, for dressing the filling
• 1 tsp fine salt
• ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• To finish
• 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash

Method

1. 1
   Combine the 00 flour and salt in a bowl. Add the olive oil and work briefly with the fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cold water a little at a time, bringing the dough together into a smooth, pliable mass. Divide into two pieces — one slightly larger than the other. Wrap both and rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. The dough is ready when it yields without tearing.
2. 2
   Soak the raisins in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain and press dry. In a bowl, combine the raw swordfish cubes, capers, olives, tomato pulp, pine nuts, drained raisins, and torn basil. Dress with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Turn once to coat. Do not pre-cook the swordfish — it finishes in the oven. The filling should be moist but not pooling liquid; if the tomato is very wet, drain briefly. The filling is ready when all components are evenly dressed.
3. 3
   Heat the oven to 185 °C. On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger piece of dough to a round or oval approximately 3–4 mm thick, large enough to line a 24 cm round baking tin with a slight overhang. Lay it into the tin, pressing gently into the base and sides. The surface should be smooth and without tears — this is where the dish lives or dies: any gap in the seal will allow the filling's steam to escape, collapsing the agrodolce concentration that defines the pie.
4. 4
   Spoon the dressed filling evenly into the pastry case, distributing the swordfish, olives, capers, and raisins across the full surface. Do not press down. Roll the second piece of dough to the same thickness and lay it over the filling. Fold the overhang of the base pastry up and over the lid edge and press firmly — do not crimp; press with the heel of the hand for a rustic seal. Trim any excess. Pierce two or three small steam vents in the lid. Brush the entire surface with beaten egg. The pastry should be sealed, with no open seams visible.
5. 5
   Bake at 185 °C for 35–40 minutes. The pie is ready when the crust is deep golden and the underside, checked by lifting slightly at the edge with a palette knife, is dry and set — not pale or damp. The pastry should sound hollow when tapped on the lid.
6. 6
   Remove from the oven and rest in the tin for 15 minutes before cutting. During this period the interior steam settles, the filling sets, and the flavours consolidate. The pie slices cleanly when the pastry is firm and the filling holds its form without collapsing.