Name: Spinach and Gruyere Turnovers
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp olive oil (15 ml); 1 Tbsp butter (15 ml); 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, finely diced (250 ml); 1 rib celery, finely diced (125 ml); ½ small onion, finely diced; ½ cup cooked spinach, chopped (about 1 small bunch spinach, cleaned and picked) (125 ml); ½ cup grated gruyère cheese (125 ml); ½ tsp fresh chopped thyme (2 ml); 2 clove garlic, chopped; Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste; 1 cup flour (250 ml); ½ tsp baking soda (2 ml); salt and pepper, to taste; ⅒ tsp cayenne, or to taste; ¼ tsp ground cumin (1 ml); pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (½ ml); 1 cup beer (250 ml); 8 slices (½-inch thick) of fresh challah bread, crusts removed (bread must be fresh so soft enough to roll); 4 cup vegetable oil, for deep frying

YIELDS

16 servings

This is a good savoury turnover and no worries about pastry – this turnover uses challah bread to hold the spinach and gruyere filling.

Ingredients

Filling

Tbsp olive oil (15 ml)

Tbsp butter (15 ml)

cup shiitake mushrooms, finely diced (250 ml)

rib celery, finely diced (125 ml)

small onion, finely diced

cup cooked spinach, chopped (about 1 small bunch spinach, cleaned and picked) (125 ml)

cup grated gruyère cheese (125 ml)

tsp fresh chopped thyme (2 ml)

clove garlic, chopped

Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Batter

cup flour (250 ml)

tsp baking soda (2 ml)

salt and pepper, to taste

⅒

tsp cayenne, or to taste

tsp ground cumin (1 ml)

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (½ ml)

cup beer (250 ml)

Assembly

slices (½-inch thick) of fresh challah bread, crusts removed (bread must be fresh so soft enough to roll)

cup vegetable oil, for deep frying

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Directions

Step 1

In a sauté pan over medium high heat, sauté onions and celery in olive oil and butter until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, shiitake mushrooms and thyme and sauté for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

Step 2

Mix shiitake mixture with chopped spinach and Gruyere cheese in a medium bowl until well combined.

Step 3

Combine flour with baking soda, salt, pepper, and spices. Stir well so thoroughly mixed. Stir in beer to form batter, batter will be thick.

Step 4

With a rolling pin, roll slices of challah bread to 1/8-inch thick.

Step 5

Make 4 mini turnovers (about 1 ½-inch by 1 ½-inch in size) by sandwiching 4 portions of filling (1 ½ tsp. per turnover) between 2 pieces of rolled bread as if you were making ravioli. Spoon out 4 portions of filling, leaving space between each spoonful, onto a piece of rolled out bread. Place another piece of rolled bread on top. Press down with your fingertips, using your fingers to pinch around the filling to encase the filling. Cut around the edges of the turnover. Pinch down the edges again, if necessary. Repeat with remaining pieces of rolled out bread.

Step 6

Heat oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 375 degrees F. Dip mini turnovers in batter and deep fry for 20 to 30 seconds or until turnovers are golden light brown. Makes 16 mini turnovers.

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Spinach and Gruyere Turnovers