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Hornazo Pie with Spanish Chorizo (Hornazo de Salamanca) [Video]

Hornazo is a Spanish meat pie eaten in the provinces of Salamanca and Ávila. It is made with flour and yeast and stuffed with pork loin, spicy chorizo, and hard-boiled eggs.
In Salamanca, it is traditionally eaten in the field during the "Monday of the Waters" (Lunes de aguas) festival. The name of this unique festival supposedly comes from a twisting of the word enagua ("petticoat"), which the prostitutes of the town used to wear under their dresses. According to tradition, during Lent the prostitutes were sent to the other side of the Tormes River so that the men of the town were not distracted during the religious observances. On Easter Monday, the students of the town threw a party on the banks of the river to celebrate the return of the women, and ate hornazo as part of the celebration.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Proofing Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients

For the Dough (Masa)

  • 4 cups (500g) All-purpose or bread flour
  • 7 Tbsp (100ml) extra virgin olive oil (or lard, melted)
  • 7 Tbsp (100ml) dry white wine
  • 3½ Tbsp (50ml) lukewarm water
  • 1 (7g) packet active dry yeast
  • 1 large egg (plus 1 more for the egg wash)
  • 1 tsp Sweet Spanish paprika (pimentón dulce) (gives the dough its signature orange hue)
  • 1 tsp salt

For the Filling

  • ½ lb marinated pork loin (lomo adobado) thinly sliced
  • 5 oz Spanish chorizo sausage sliced
  • 5 oz jamón Serrano or Ibérico sliced
  • 3 large hard-boiled eggs sliced

Instructions

Activate the Yeast

  • Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water with a pinch of flour.
    Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it becomes frothy.

Make the Dough

  • In a large mixing bowl, heap the flour and make a well in the center.
    Pour the yeast mixture, white wine, olive oil, one egg, paprika, and salt into the well.
    Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then turn it out onto a floured surface.
  • Knead the dough vigorously for 8–10 minutes until it is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
    Form into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours (until doubled in size).

Roll and Layer

  • Punch down the risen dough and divide it into two slightly unequal pieces (roughly 60% for the base and 40% for the top).
  • Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Roll out the larger piece of dough into a large rectangle (about ½ cm / ¼ inch thick) and place it onto the baking sheet.
  • Layer the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border all around:
    First, lay down the marinated pork loin (you can lightly sear it in a pan first if the slices are thick, but thin slices will cook perfectly in the oven).
    Next, add the chorizo slices and cured ham.
    Top evenly with the hard-boiled egg slices.

Cover and Decorate

  • Roll out the second piece of dough to match the size of the base.
  • Optional (Traditional Lattice Decor): Save a few scraps of dough to cut into strips. Lay them diagonally across the top sheet to form a diamond lattice pattern.
  • Place the top piece of dough over the filling.
  • Roll the edges of the bottom dough up over the top dough, pinching firmly to crimp and seal the pie tight.
  • Crucial Step: Poke several holes in the top crust with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
    Brush the entire surface generously with a beaten egg wash.

Bake

  • Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 30–35 minutes until the crust turns a deep, shiny golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

Pro Tip

Hornazo tastes best when eaten warm or at room temperature, but never piping hot straight out of the oven. Letting it rest allows the cured meat fats to set into the pastry crust, making it incredibly flavorful.