Andy Montoya
Bacon and cheese turnovers are a delicious snack that can be served at any time of the day. They are simple to prepare and require only a few basic ingredients: puff pastry, bacon, cheese, and egg. You can use either streaky bacon or back bacon, depending on your preference, and choose from a variety of cheeses such as cheddar or mozzarella. The pastries can be baked in the oven or cooked in an air fryer, resulting in a crispy, flaky treat that is perfect for any occasion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Puff pastry, bacon, cheese, egg |
| Oven temperature | 190°C-200°C |
| Oven type | Fan |
| Bake time | 15-20 minutes |
| Colour | Golden brown |
| Consistency | Flaky |
| Additional toppings | Caramelized onions, mustard |
| Storage | Airtight container, refrigerated |
| Shelf life | 2-3 days |
| Reheating | Microwave for 1 minute, or oven at 180°C for 10-15 minutes |
| Freezing | Suitable for freezing |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing your ingredients
When choosing your ingredients, it's important to remember that you only need four basic ingredients: puff pastry, bacon, cheese, and egg. However, you can add extra ingredients like caramelized onions or mustard to enhance the flavour.
For the pastry, you can buy ready-rolled puff pastry sheets or squares to save time. Alternatively, you can buy a block of puff pastry and roll it out yourself, or even make your own rough puff pastry if you're feeling adventurous. Just make sure to keep your pastry chilled until you're ready to use it, as this will ensure a flaky texture once baked.
When selecting bacon, you can choose between streaky bacon or back bacon, smoked or unsmoked. Streaky bacon is thinner and cooks faster, so it's a good option if you don't want to pre-cook your bacon. If you prefer a crispier texture, you can pre-cook your bacon by frying or grilling it until it's lightly golden. You can also buy ready-cooked crispy bacon rashers if you want to save time.
For the cheese, a strong, sharp cheddar is a popular choice for its flavour, but you can use any cheese you prefer. Grated extra mature cheddar or another hard cheese will give your turnovers a nice bite.
Finally, you'll need an egg to create an egg wash, which will give your pastries a golden colour when baked. Beat the egg well before brushing it onto your pastries.
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Preparing the bacon
Firstly, decide on the type of bacon you want to use. Streaky bacon is a popular choice for this recipe as its thin nature allows it to cook at a similar rate as the pastry. If you prefer a meatier option, back bacon is a good choice, but it may require some pre-cooking to ensure it cooks thoroughly without overcooking the pastry. You can also opt for crispy, ready-cooked bacon rashers to speed up the process.
Once you've selected your bacon, it's time to cook it. Heat a frying pan to medium heat and add a small amount of oil or butter if desired. Place the bacon in the pan and cook until it reaches your desired level of doneness. For streaky bacon, this may be around 8 minutes or until lightly golden. If you're using thicker back bacon, you may need to fry it for a couple of minutes on each side to ensure it's cooked through. Remember, you don't want to overcook the bacon at this stage, as it will cook further in the oven.
If you're using caramelized onions in your turnovers, as some recipes suggest, you can cook them alongside the bacon. Simply caramelize sliced onions in a pan with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste over low heat for around 30 minutes.
After cooking the bacon, transfer it to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess grease. This step helps ensure that your turnovers aren't overly greasy. Allow the bacon to cool slightly before handling, especially if you plan to chop it into smaller pieces for more delicate bites.
Now your bacon is ready, you can assemble your turnovers by layering the bacon and cheese onto your pastry sheets and following the remaining recipe instructions. Enjoy the delicious combination of crispy bacon and melted cheese in every bite!
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Preparing the pastry
First, preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 Fahrenheit). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This will be used to place the turnovers on before putting them in the oven.
Next, take your puff pastry sheet and ensure it is cold. This is important as it will give you the best flaky pastry once baked. If your puff pastry sheet is not already rolled out, roll it out flat onto the parchment paper. If you are using a block of puff pastry, roll it out into a square shape, approximately 24 cm x 24 cm.
Once the pastry is rolled out, cut it into squares. The number of squares you cut will depend on how big you want your turnovers to be. For larger turnovers, cut the pastry into 4-6 equal squares. For smaller, more delicate bites, you can cut the pastry into smaller squares.
Now you are ready to assemble your turnovers! Place a bacon rasher in the middle of each square, topping it with grated cheese. If you are using caramelized onions, add a spoonful on top of the cheese. Then, fold one corner of the pastry over the filling, and then fold the other corner over, creating a triangle shape. Press the edges firmly together to prevent them from unfolding during cooking.
Finally, brush the exposed corners of the pastry with beaten egg. This will give the pastry a golden colour when baked.
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Assembling the turnovers
Next, lay the bacon rashers across the pastry squares. If you are using streaky bacon, there is no need to cook the bacon beforehand as it will cook at the same rate as the pastry. However, if you are using thicker-cut bacon, you may want to fry it for a couple of minutes first to par-cook it. You can also chop up the bacon rashers and sprinkle them over the pastry squares, instead of laying them across.
After adding the bacon, top the pastry squares with grated cheese. You can use any type of cheese you like, but a strong, hard cheese like cheddar is recommended to add a punch of flavour.
Then, fold the pastry squares in half to enclose the filling. If you slanted the squares so that a corner was at the top and bottom, you can fold one corner over the cheese and then the other corner over that one, creating a triangular turnover. Be sure to firmly press the edges of the pastry together to prevent them from unfolding during cooking.
Finally, brush the turnovers with beaten egg. This will give the pastry a golden colour when baked. You can also sprinkle additional grated cheese on top of the turnovers before baking.
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Cooking and serving
Bacon and cheese turnovers are a tasty snack or appetiser that can be served at any time of the day, from breakfast to after-dinner. They are also perfect for picnics, buffets, or parties. The best part? They are super easy to make with only four to five ingredients and can be prepared in advance!
To cook bacon and cheese turnovers, start by frying your bacon rashers in batches over medium heat until cooked to your desired level of doneness. If using thick-cut bacon, consider pre-cooking it to ensure it cooks at the same rate as the pastry. Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess grease. Next, roll out your puff pastry sheet on a floured surface. You can use a ready-rolled pastry sheet or make your own. Cut the pastry sheet into six squares, or smaller if you want more delicate bites.
Now for the fun part: assembling the turnovers! Place a bacon rasher in the middle of each pastry square. If you're feeling adventurous, you can add some caramelised onions or a spread of mustard on top of the bacon for extra flavour. Then, sprinkle grated cheese on top. A strong, sharp cheddar is a popular choice, but feel free to use any cheese you prefer. Fold one corner of the pastry over the cheese, and then bring the opposite corner over to form a triangle. Brush the exposed corners of the pastry with beaten egg to help them stick together and give the pastry a golden colour when baked.
Place your assembled turnovers on a baking tray, leaving some space between them as they will puff up in the oven. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through. For a fan-forced oven, you may need to increase the temperature to 200°C. Allow the turnovers to cool slightly before serving. They are best enjoyed warm, straight from the baking sheet, while the cheese is still melted.
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two to three days. They can be enjoyed cold or reheated in the microwave for about one minute or in the oven at 180°C for 10-15 minutes. You can also freeze the unbaked turnovers and cook them directly from frozen at a later date. Simply pop them in the oven at 180°C for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through.
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Frequently asked questions
The ingredients are puff pastry, bacon, cheese, and egg. You can also add caramelized onions.
First, cook the bacon to your desired level of crispiness. Then, cut the pastry into squares. Place the bacon in the middle of each square, top with cheese, and fold over. Brush the pastry with a beaten egg and bake in the oven at 190 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.
Bacon and cheese turnovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. They can be eaten cold or reheated in the oven or microwave.
