Lamb Turnovers Recipes

MOROCCAN-STYLE LAMB TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Mix together the cumin, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and the spice mixture and continue to cook for another minute. Add the lamb and cook, breaking up any lumps with the back of a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and tomato paste and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the raisins, pine nuts, and cilantro. Taste for seasoning. Let cool and set aside.
• In a small bowl, beat together the egg and cream with a fork. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the puff pastry in half. Work with half of the dough at a time, while keeping the other half chilled. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough into a 12-by-15-inch rectangle. Cut into twenty 3-inch squares. Place a scant tablespoon of the filling in the center of each square. Brush the edges lightly with the egg wash. Fold each pastry into a triangle, enclosing the filling, and crimp the edges with a fork. Cut a small steam vent in the top of each turnover. Brush the tops lightly with more egg wash. Set on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
• Bake the turnovers until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.
• Make ahead: These can be frozen in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, transferred to a freezer bag, and stored in the freezer for 1 month. They can be baked right from the freezer, adding 3 to 4 minutes to the baking time.

CURRIED CHICKEN OR LAMB TURNOVERS

Steps:

• 1. Place everything (except the flour, puff pastry, and the egg wash) in a large nonstick skillet or saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up any lumps in the ground chicken, until golden, about 5 minutes. If using lamb, cook an extra 5 to 7 minutes. Reserve the pan.2. Let the meat cool until it is safe enough to handle, about 15 minutes, then transfer to a food processor, add the flour, and process to make it as smooth as possible. Return to the pan and cook about 5 minutes to bind the filling and remove the raw taste of the flour.3. Divide the filling into two equal parts, one for each pastry sheet. Thaw the pastry sheets at room temperature, until they are slightly softened but still cold to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes.4. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. On a lightly floured surface, working with each pastry sheet separately, unfold and gently roll it with a rolling pin to make it smooth. Then cut each sheet into 12 squares. Roll each square to make it slightly larger. Baste the edges with water, place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each square and fold one corner over the filling to the diagonal corner to form a triangle. Seal the edges by pressing with the back of a fork.5. Brush the top of each turnover with the beaten egg and then poke a few holes with a fork so the steam can escape. Place the turnovers on the baking sheet and bake until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks. Serve hot or at room temperature.VARIATION: Put filling into 6 to 8 small bell peppers or 8 to 10 small tomatoes and bake in a preheated 400°F oven until the peppers (or tomatoes) are soft, about 30 minutes.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.