Recipe: Peach Pie Mini Turnovers

PEACH PIE MINI TURNOVERS

"I know baked pie turnovers aren't exactly the same as their fried cousins, but they're still delicious! I've lowered the fat in the pastry crust and kept the turnovers healthy by baking them instead of frying them (as some recipes suggest). The peach filling is wonderful, and you can brush the turnovers with a little melted butter (or no-trans-fat margarine) and sprinkle them with sugar, if you'd like."

Canola cooking spray
1 (16-ounce) (454 g) bag frozen peaches, partially thawed and coarsely diced (about 3 cup diced)
6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups unbleached white flour (plus more for rolling dough)
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons canola oil
4 to 5 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon melted butter or no-trans-fat margarine, for topping (optional)
Cinnamon sugar (2 tbsp. granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon), for topping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a nonstick cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with canola cooking spray; set aside.

Place the diced peaches, 6 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, the lemon juice, and the cinnamon in a nonstick medium saucepan and stir well. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Crush the peaches with a potato masher and continue to cook over low-medium heat for 3-4 minutes more until the mixture looks like chunky applesauce and the liquid is very thick. Pour into a bowl to cool.

While the peach filling is cooling, make the pastry crust: Place the flour, the remaining 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, the salt, the canola oil, and 4 tablespoons of the buttermilk in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until just blended. Add an additional tablespoon of buttermilk if needed. Use your hands to gather the pastry into a ball.

Lay a sheet of waxed paper on a flat surface and dust lightly with flour. Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll out the pastry dough on the floured waxed paper until it's thin (like a piecrust). Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut circles from the dough (I like to use a 3-inch cut-and-seal device for this).

Add a scant tablespoon of peach filling to the center of each circle and fold over to make a half circle. You can use the cut-and-seal device to seal the edges, or use your fingers or the tongs of a fork. Brush the tops of the turnovers with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon sugar, if desired.

Place in the oven and bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 18 minutes.

Makes about 12 servings (two 3-inch-wide turnovers per serving)
Source: Fry Light, Fry Right! by Elaine Magee, MPH, R.D.