Chicken turnovers

 

     Prepare the dough the night before you plan on using it, or to speed up preparation, use a store-bought refrigerator crescent dough and form it into turnovers. For appetizer portions, make smaller turnover. Also delicious using leftover cooked turkey, beef, veal or pork.

Makes 4 main-dish turnovers

Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 teaspoons solid vegetable shortening
• ¾ cup lowfat plain yogurt

Filling

• ¼ cup finely chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and finely chopped
• ½ medium-size sweet red pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of pepper
• One-third cup lowfat plain yogurt
• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

Prepare dough

1. Stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt in large bowl ; with pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter and vegetable shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Stir in yogurt, mixing just until mixture comes together ; divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Prepare filling

1. Sauté green onion in oil in large skillet over low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and sweet red pepper ; cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes over low heat or until mushrooms have given off their liquid and peppers are soft.
3. Stir in flour, paprika, salt and pepper ; cook 2 minutes.
4. Stir in yogurt and chicken ; cool to room temperature.

Prepare turnovers

1. Preheat oven to 400F ; grease 1 large or 2 small baking sheets
2. Working with half the dough at a time, rool out one 12 x 12-inch square.
3. Cut in half diagonally into 2 triangles, then in half again to form 4 triangles.
4. Place triangles on prepared baking sheet ; top each triangle with one-fourth of the filling, leaving ½-inch border all around.
5. Brush border with water.
6. Roll out remaining dough to 12 x 12-inch square.
7. Cut into 4 triangles as with the first piece ; place triangle on top of each triangle on baking sheet.
8. Seal edges with fingers ; prick tops of turnovers several time with fork.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.

BON APPÉTIT