Amanda's Turkey and Spices Handheld Pastries
For the last signature challenge in the "Finals Week" episode, Amanda Faber creates a hand-held pie with a ground turkey and spinach filling, a trick she uses in her turkey burgers at home to get her two kids to eat their veggies. Amanda also uses dill pickle juice to season the filling, an homage to the pickles her family likes to pile on their turkey burgers. Watch the full episode of "Finals Week" from The Great American Baking Show Season 2 episode 8.
INGREDIENTS:
Lunch Pastry:
• 555g all-purpose flour
• 3tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2tsp table salt
• 339g cold unsalted butter
• 1c MINUS 1tbsp ice water
• 1/4c sesame seeds
Lunch Filling:
• 1tbsp vegetable oil
• 1tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4c (small handful) red onion, diced
• 82g spinach, finely chopped
• 25g scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 1lb ground turkey (85 lean/15 fat)
• 2tbsp dill pickle juice
• 1/2tsp red pepper flakes
• Table salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
Lunch Assembly (only for lunch pastry):
• 1 large egg
• 1/4c water, divided
METHOD:
Lunch Pastry:
1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor.
2. Cut in the butter until large pea size pieces remain.
3. Mix water in, reserve a tablespoon or two.
4. Process until almost a dough forms.
5. Divide the dough in half. Roll out between pieces of plastic wrap. Freeze.
Lunch Filling:
1. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil and sesame oil.
2. Add in the red onion and cook until softened.
3. Add in the spinach, scallions, garlic, and cumin. Cook until the vegetables have released some water.
4. Add in the ground turkey. Use spatula to chop the turkey up finely, and mix it with the other ingredients. Cook thoroughly.
5. Add in the pickle juice and pepper flakes. Cook a minute more. Taste and season as needed.
6. Move mixture to a metal pan and cool.
Lunch Assembly:
1. Preheat the oven to 375° F/191° C.
2. Cut pastry in to squares (six per sheet). Moisten the edges with water.
3. Fill with turkey filling and fold in half diagonally to create triangles.
4. Seal edges with fork. Brush with egg wash.
5. Top with sesame seeds.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.
NOTES:
Make these in this order:
1. Lunch Pastry, freeze
2. Lunch Filling
3. Biscuit Filling
4. Biscuit Pastry
5. Assemble Biscuits
6. Bake Biscuits (start baking with ~1 hour to go)
7. Assemble Lunch, freeze
8. Bake Lunch (start baking with ~35 to go)