CURRIED PORK TURNOVERS

Even though these start with "leftover" pork, it is a sure bet there will not be any leftover turnovers! Crisp, juicy apples are an excellent complement to the curry and pork in these tasty morsels.

1 recipe Plain Flaky Pastry {recipe follows}
1/2 pound cooked pork, ground
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
1/4 pound mushrooms, cleaned and minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 medium tomato, seeded and finely cubed
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water {for egg wash}

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the onions and garlic. Saute 3-4 minutes until they start to soften. Add the celery, mushrooms, and ginger. Continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are soft but not brown. Remove from the heat and add the pork, tomato, turmeric, salt, cumin, white pepper, parsley, and yogurt. Mix well. Set aside to cool.
Roll out the pastry and cut into 3-4" rounds. Place 2-3 teaspoons of filling in the center of the round. Brush the edges with the egg wash, fold over, and seal. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Continue with the remaining filling and pastry. Brush the tops of the turnovers with the remaining egg wash and bake in a 375-400 degree oven 20-25 minutes. Makes about 36 turnovers. If you have more filling than you need, it freezes well.

PLAIN FLAKY PASTRY

This is a light and flaky pastry that works well for tarts and savory turnovers.

1 cup unbleached white flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into chunks
2-3 tablespoons cold water

Combine flour and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the water one tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. The dough may be used at this point, but it is easier to work with if it has been formed into a ball, covered with saran wrap and refrigerated

for one hour. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board to 1/8" thick and slightly larger in diameter than the tart pan. Place the rolled out pastry in the tart pan and press to the sides. Do not stretch the dough to make it fit. Trim excess dough by pressing your thumb along the rim of the tart pan. Chill the pastry for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove pastry from the refrigerator, line with foil, and weight with beans or rice {this prevents the pastry from shrinking or puffing up while baking}.
For a fully baked shell: Bake 20 minutes, remove the foil and beans, and bake an additional 5 minutes until lightly browned.
For a partially baked shell: Bake 15 minutes, remove the foil and beans, and return to the oven for 2-3 minutes.