When I’m feeling indulgent, nothing quite hits the spot like a buttery, flaky turnover — particularly one stuffed with such delicious offerings as this one.
The secret weapon to these turnovers is store-bought puff pastry. It’s super easy to use and ever so slightly easier than making our own. Take it out of the freezer when you start cooking the filling ingredients, and it will be ready to use by the time you’re done.
This is also an easy recipe to adapt to your schedule. You can prepare the turnovers the night before, leave them on baking sheets in the fridge overnight and bake them off in the morning. You could even freeze the unbaked turnovers and have them ready whenever the brunch mood strikes. Just let them thaw on the counter while the oven preheats.
Crispy Turnovers With Apple, Bacon and Caramelized Onions
Makes 8 turnovers
Ingredients:
2 sheets frozen puff pastry
6 strips bacon, diced
2 medium-sized yellow onions, sliced thinly
1 apple (of the baking variety), diced small
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons cider vinegar
4-6 ounces Gouda or sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon warm water
Directions:
Remove the puff pastry from the freezer, and set it on the counter to thaw, still in its package.
Set a large skillet over medium heat and gently cook the bacon until all the fat is rendered and the bacon is just starting to become golden and crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel to drain.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Still over medium heat, slowly cook the onions with a pinch of salt until they are completely soft and caramelized. For best caramelized flavor, this should take about 30 minutes. But if you’re pressed for time, you can turn up the heat a nudge and cook them faster.
When the onions are as done as you like them, add the apples and another pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the apples have softened but are still firm in the middle. Stir in the cinnamon and a final pinch of salt. Add the cider vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pan to get up any caramelized brown bits.
Let the vinegar bubble until the pan is nearly dry again; then remove from heat. Combine the onion mixture and bacon in a bowl. If using, add the cheese when the mixture has cooled slightly.
Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Line two sheet pans with parchment or silpats.
Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface, and unfold the puff pastry on top. If there are ridges in the pastry, gently flatten them with a rolling pin. Cut each piece of puff pastry into 4 equal squares (8 squares total).
Place two spoonfuls of the filling in the middle of each square. Dampen the edge with egg yolk, and fold the squares over into triangles. Poke vent holds in the top with a paring knife, and brush each turnover with egg yolk. Transfer to the baking sheets, spaced a few inches apart.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tips of each turnover are toasted brown and the tops are golden. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
These turnovers are at their flakiest within a few hours after baking. Leftovers stored in the fridge will still be delicious, but not as flaky. If you are planning on having leftovers, it’s better to freeze the turnovers unbaked; then bake them off individually.
Emma Christensen is a writer for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit comments or questions to kitchn@apartmenttherapy.com.