Fried empanada

The cold pie, with Brazilian influences, is a recipe little known to Cubans, it's true, but very close to the very popular cold salad which is prepared with pasta, instead of bread, and which has become a symbol of Cuban birthdays, with the cake and croquettes of uncertain origin, always served in cajitas, that is to say small cardboard trays.
The empanada fria is another of the ideal dishes to cool off the high temperatures of the eternal Cuban summer. We preferably need tuna in vegetable oil for its preparation, but this dish can also be made with sardines or other cooked and shredded fish or chicken, as well as shrimp.
Again, this is a typical recipe with great flexibility given the availability of ingredients. Depending on what we can find, or what we like the most, we adapt and improvise a personalized version.

Preparation:
Let's start by lightly steaming the diced carrot and letting it cool.
Next we move on to the pineapple glaze. In a pan, brown the pineapple pieces in butter over medium heat, with two or three tablespoons of sugar and a drizzle of vinegar and cooking wine. Let the sauce reduce and the glazed pineapples cool.
In another pan we will sauté the garlic, onion and chili pepper in the butter for a minute, then mix with the drained tuna and return well over low heat for a few minutes so that the flavors are well integrated with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Then let cool.
After making sure that all the ingredients are fresh, we must proceed to mix the tuna, with the carrot, the glazed pineapple, the cheese and the other vegetables available, that is, the olives, capers, raisins, green peas and corn with mayonnaise in the proportion you prefer, as long as it is a pasty and juicy texture.
In a fairly wide container three to four fingers deep, we will coat the bottom and walls with enough mayonnaise. Then we can put a first layer of bread without the crust, very tight so that there are no empty spaces.
Then we put a layer of the mixture of tuna, vegetables and mayonnaise so that it covers everything. Then another layer of bread and another of tuna, all still very compact, and a final layer of bread completely covered with mayonnaise.
We should put this assembly in the refrigerator overnight.
Then we can remove the fria empanada from the mold and decorate with aromatic herbs, parsley, basil or mint.
This unique dish is served in pieces, like a real cake, but this time full of delicious sweet, sour and salty contrasts that invite a cold beer and celebration.