Little Turnovers

Cooking Venezuelan

Ingredients for Little Turnovers

For the pastry:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 egg and
• 1 yolk, lightly beaten

For the filling:

• 1 lb. lean pork, chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped
• 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
• 1 tablespoon seedless raisins
• - Salt and pepper
• - Creole seasoning powder, to taste
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped

Preparation of Little Turnovers

1. Sift the flour with the salt into a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub into the flour with the fingertips to form a coarse meal. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the egg and yolk; stir to mix, and add water (about 1/3 cup), by tablespoons, mixing with a fork, to make a soft but not sticky dough. Form the dough into a ball and refrigerate, for 1 hour.

2. Roll the dough very thin on a floured surface and cut into 2 1/2-inch squares. Put a teaspoon of filling into the center of each square, fold over, and seal the edges.

3. Prepare the filling. Put the pork into a saucepan with water barely to cover and simmer, covered, until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the pork stock. In a skillet heat the oil and sauté the onion and pepper until softened. Add the pork and sauté 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, raisins, salt, pepper, creole seasoning to taste, and sherry. If the mixture is too dry, add some of the reserved pork stock. Simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has almost evaporated. Allow to cool and add the egg, mixing well.

4. To fry: in a deep frying pan heat the oil and fry the turnovers until they are lightly browned.