Gaspar Váez, a well-known converso who was living in Mexico used to break the fast of Yom Kippur by dining on eggs, salad, empanadas, fish, olives and hot chocolate, avoiding any meat. Chocolate could be substituted for the wine used for the Kiddush of Shabbat because it was seen as a drink used to celebrate holidays. Because of this, drinking chocolate was another telltale sign of converso customs, along with fasting and secretive behavior.

Fish pies were also significant in the culinary customs of the converso Jews in Mexico and Brazil and were typically consumed after the Yom Kippur holiday to conclude the fast. I didn’t find a recipe for fish pie among the historical records, but the dish was recognized as one of the various means by which conversos were exposed and reported.

Instructions

1. To make the dough, beat the eggs, and add flour and salt. Add the soft butter (or oil). Mix all the ingredients together. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until even and smooth. Cover and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: add the olive oil, garlic, and chopped onion to a pan, and fry for 3 minutes until golden. Add the fish and sauté for 5 minutes at medium heat. Transfer to a big bowl to cool.

3. In another bowl, mix the grated cheese and egg. Add salt and black pepper. Then, add the fish mixture.

4. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper until it is a tenth of an inch thick (a couple of millimeters). To prepare the first individual pie, cut out a circle with a round cookie cutter (2 inches/5 cm in diameter, or in any case larger than your pie dish). Grease each small pie dish, lay the first disk of dough in it and raise it around the edges to the top. Add in the filling, leaving some room at the top. Cut out another dough circle and cover the top of the pie. Flatten the edges. Do the same for the rest of your small pies. Once finished, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

5. Turn on the oven to 400°F (200°C). Take your cold fish pies out of the fridge and put them on a tray. Brush them with egg wash, and prick the top with a knife. Once the oven is hot, cook them for 25 minutes. Wait until the pies have cooled to remove them from their molds.