Healthy Vegetable Portuguese Turnovers (i.e., Rissol), can you believe it? Well, believe it, it’s true!
They are easy, take few ingredients, and are delicious. Who is a friend?
As I have already told you several times, I love vegetarian food. Although I don’t follow a 100% plant-based diet, I really enjoy cooking vegetarian dishes. They are great and super tasty!
Rissol (plural – rissóis)is a Portuguese savory, fried turnover.
Traditionally they are not vegetarian, but today I opted to show you this vegetarian recipe, which I am sure you’ll love.
Here at home is a success!
I was inspired by the recipe shared by Margarida Santos on Instagram. I made some changes considering what I had at home, and what a beautiful result I came up with.
Since I’m extremely greedy, especially when it comes to salty snacks, this recipe is perfect! It has great ingredients, no fried food, and I can eat as much as I want without feeling guilty.
It’s true balance at work!
I love to eat salty snacks of all kinds and I’m always on the lookout for the best cafes to eat rissóis, croquette, or codfish pastry that are to die for. But when I try to recreate the recipes at home, I always like to give them a healthy and less caloric touch.
This dough is super easy to make, and it’s quick! And like almost all my recipes, it’s very versatile.
You can use the same dough to make other things like quiches, for example. Or stuffed cakes. Anyway, you can use it for whatever you want!
I think these healthy vegetable turnovers are great to have in the lunch box or even for a picnic. And I’m sure the whole family will love them!
For more healthy recipes, check this Bacon, Tomato, and Cheese Muffins Recipe.
What is the secret to making these Healthy Vegetable Portuguese Turnovers (i.e. Rissol)?
The big secret is to follow the quantities of the dough ingredients to ensure the dough is neither too dry nor too sticky.
Have some patience, because since it is not a traditional dough, if we are not careful it can break.
And more? Just have fun making these healthy vegetable Portuguese turnovers, because there’s nothing better than having a good time in the kitchen.
For this recipe you’ll need:
- Boiled chickpeas
- Spelt flour
- Grated carrot
- Grated zucchini
- Leek
- Olive oil
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil (optional)
- Sesame seeds (or poppy seeds if you prefer)
- Pepper
How do you make these Healthy Vegetable Portuguese Turnovers (i.e., Rissol)?
There is no trick!
Start by mixing the dough ingredients until you have a homogeneous mixture.
Roll out the dough, cut it into the shape you want, and put it aside.
Cook the filling, let it cool a little, and fill your turnovers.
Brush them, add the seeds, and you’re done. Just put them in the oven and they are perfect!
Let’s check the step-by-step?
Healthy Vegetable Portuguese Turnovers (i.e. Rissol)
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 bottle or can boiled chickpeas you can use dried chickpeas and cook them in a pot
- ½ cup spelt flour or oatmeal
For the filling
- 1 grated carrot
- ½ grated zucchini
- ¼ sliced leek into rounds
- Olive oil to taste
- Soy sauce to taste
- Sesame oil to taste optional
- Sesame seeds to taste or poppy seeds
- Pepper to taste
- 1 egg
Instructions
For the dough
- Start by washing the chickpeas with cold water and drain the water well.
- Using a fork, mash the beans until they have a puree-like consistency.
- Make a ball with the peachick puree, spread it out a little and make a hole in the middle.
- Place the spelt flour in the place where you opened the hole and knead it well (almost as if you were kneading pizza dough).
- Once the dough is homogeneous, roll it out on a flat surface, previously dusted with flour (so it doesn't stick).
- Make the molds for the turnovers, with the help of a mold of your own. If you don't have a mold, make them with the help of a glass. Since my glass was small, I made the turnovers round. But the idea is to make them in a half-shaped moon.
- When the molds are prepared, let them rest and start preparing the filling.
For the filling
- In a high frying pan or wok, put a drizzle of olive oil and let it heat up.
- When the oil is already hot, add the sliced leek and cook over medium / high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the grated zucchini and carrot and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce and if you like, a little sesame oil (it gives an amazing flavor).
- Add the pepper and stir well.
- Let the vegetables cook and when they are soft turn off the heat.
- Assemble your healthy vegetable turnovers: put some filling in half of the mold and fold it over, placing the other half on top (just like the Portuguese rissol).
- Press the ends to connect the parts (if necessary wet your fingertips with water to make it easier to glue the ends of the dough together).
- Beat the egg and brush it over the turnovers.
- Put the sesame (or poppy) seeds on top and bake in a preheated oven at 200º for about 20 minutes or until the turnovers are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and serve with a spinach and cherry tomato salad or eat as a snack.
Notes
