Snacks & Appetizers: Snack Turnovers

If you're looking for something that you can make with the leftovers in your fridge, and you want something that will freeze well, try these Snack Turnovers. You can use any protein you like, though I've used turkey sausage. You can also add other herbs, if you desire, or change the filling entirely. The important thing is to get creative and have fun.


You can use refrigerated bread dough, if you like, but I prefer to make my own dough.


Ingredients


For the Dough
1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
½ tsp sugar
½ cup warm water
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1½ cups all purpose flour


For the Filling
1 cup turkey sausage, crumbled
½ cup bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
2 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp dried thyme


For the Glaze
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp water
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
1 tsp dried thyme


Preparation


Start by making the dough. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well until a loose dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and cover. Set aside in a warm location and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


While you're waiting for the dough to rise, cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain off any excess fat and allow to cool. When the sausage is cooled, place in a medium bowl and add all other filling ingredients. Mix well until you have a consistent filling mix.


Punch down the dough. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface to no more than ¼-inch thickness. Thinner is okay, even desirable, but definitely don't go thicker. Using a sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut dough into circles. Reroll the dough scraps and repeat until you cannot get any more circles. Discard leftover dough.


Spoon a little filling into the center of each circle. How much will depend on how large your circles are. I typically use a 3-inch circle, which handles about 1½ tsp of filling, though I usually use only 1 tsp. Just don't overfill your turnovers.


Brush the edges of your circles with water. Fold dough over to form packets, totally encasing the filling. Don't allow any filling to escape. Use the tines of a fork to press down on the edges of each packet, helping to further seal the edges. Place turnovers on prepared baking sheets and cover loosely. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes.


Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Uncover turnovers and brush them with the glaze. bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until turnovers are golden brown.


This recipe makes about 16 turnovers, depending on how large you make them.