Grandma's Turnovers
CF ID: Lovey
These turnovers filled with meat, fruit, and nuts are frequently served as between meal snacks. You can make them almost any size, to serve as an entree, snack, appetizer, Grandma always made them as an after school snack and often used the leftovers in them.
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
1/2 pound each lean ground beef and lean ground pork (see note)
1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 cup each tomato puree (smash the fresh ones)1/2 seedless raisins
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup slivered (grated) almondsPastry for double-crust 9-inch pie (rolled can biscuits work for this too)
Salad oil (optional)
In a wide frying pan, melt butter over medium heat; add meat and cook, stirring often, until meat loses pinkness. (if already cooked warm it up)
Drain off excess fat. Stir in garlic, tomato puree, raisins, sherry, cinnamon, salt, cloves, vinegar, and sugar.
Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add almonds; cool.
Prepare pastry using your favorite recipe or a packaged mix.
Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness and cut out 3-inch circles for little turnovers, 4 or 5-inch circles for large turnovers. Spoon filling mixture evenly on one side of each pastry round, moisten edges of pastry, fold over, and seal. (smash edges with fingers or fork. kids love to help with that part)
Heat at least 1 inch of oil to 370 degrees and cook turnovers until brown on both sides; or bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown. Makes 3 1/2 dozen small or about 15 large turnovers.
NOTE: Above is the recipe as I received it from my grandmother, She told me she often changed it to use whatever meat was available, I often use left over roast, turkey or ham, chicken, what ever I happen to have. I also often vary the other items depending on what I have on hand.