Giant Veggie Turnover (Grain-Free and Kosher for Passover!)

I swear that the photos do not do this recipe justice. It wasn’t very photogenic (or needed a better photographer) but it looked strikingly beautiful in real life. So much so that I kept grabbing my phone and taking more pictures of it even after I was technically “done” with the shoot. But there’s much more to this recipe than good looks.

If you are a vegetarian (like me), Passover can be a bit tough. Potato kugels are usually the center piece and then come lots and lots of sides. Not that there is anything wrong with that – I love sides – but sometimes you want something a bit more forward at the center of your seder.

Enter this giant veggie turnover. It’s stuffed to the brim with potatoes, kale, and cabbage seasoned with lots of paprika and dill. The turnover crust is satisfyingly savory, sweet, and bready with a knish-like quality that will surprise you. There’s plenty of extra filling to pile on top or style individual plates with, and it’s super fun to cut off slices for all your guests. And – to add some extra Passover flair – a horseradish-lemon dressing gets drizzled on top.

When I tasted it, I was pretty ecstatic. Who knew plantains could taste so Jewish? And the filling – yum! And the horseradish…oh, man. This was going to be a seder to remember.

A couple notes about the recipe:

-If you prefer, you can also make smaller turnovers using the same dough. Just cut the large rectangle into squares, put some filling in each square, fold them over, and pinch the edges. It’s easier (and more interesting looking) to make one giant one, though, IMHO.

-This recipe calls for potato FLOUR. This is NOT the same thing as potato starch.

-This recipe is Low FODMAP provided you don’t eat more than 1/3 of the giant turnover in one sitting. (And, as it’s giant, this would be pretty difficult to do, especially as part of a seder.)

-The dough is tricky to work with and takes some patience. But hey, it took us 40 years in the desert to find the promised land. Let’s use that inherited perseverance!

-The dressing is super yummy but the turnover is also very enjoyable without it. If you don’t feel like making the dressing, you can leave it off.

Giant Veggie Turnover (Grain-Free and Kosher for Passover!)

For the dough

2 yellow plantains (look for ones that are just yellow with not a lot of black on them)
1 green plantain
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup water
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons potato flour (NOT potato starch!)
2 tablespoons chopped green onion (green part only)
¾ teaspoon Celtic sea salt

Note: Your three plantains, unpeeled, should weigh about 2 pounds, altogether.

For the filling

1 bunch kale (about 12 ounces, weighed with stems on)
½ a medium purple cabbage, chopped (about 3 cups)
1½ pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 3 cups)
½ cup chopped green onion (green part only)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground paprika
2 teaspoons dried dill
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¾- 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt, to taste

For the dressing

2 tablespoons bottled horseradish (the kind that already has vinegar, sugar, etc. in it)
2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Wash and de-stem the kale; then roughly chop. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add a generous amount of salt. Add the kale and boil for about 3 minutes, until cooked. Drain, spread out to cool, then squeeze out excess liquid and finely chop.

In a separate pot, place the chopped potatoes and add water until just covered. Add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and keep at a generous simmer/gentle boil until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the cabbage. Sauté, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until tender and cooked through. Add the green onions and half of the spices; then add the potatoes, kale, and the rest of the spices. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired. Set aside to cool.

While the filling is cooling, make the dough. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Peel and chop the plantains. Heat the oil, then add the plantain pieces and sauté until golden brown, 5-10 minutes. (You may have to add more oil during the cooking process). Turn into a food processor and pulse until the pieces are very small, like crumbs. Turn the processor to low, and slowly pour the water in, processing until it looks like slightly chunky mashed potatoes. Add the potato flour, salt, and green onion, and pulse until incorporated. You will now have a very sticky dough. (It does not have to be completely smooth – there can be flecks and chunks – but it should look like a dough.)

Spread the dough out as thinly as you can on the parchment-paper lined baking tray. It will be very difficult to spread, so I recommend using your fingers. If it cracks, dip your fingers in water to help repair or smooth any cracks out. It should take up about 3/4 of your sheet tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 16 minutes.

When the dough comes out, it’s time to fill the turnover. Reserve about 2 ½ cups of filling – this is extra and will be served on the side or on top. Place the remaining filling on one side of the plantain rectangle. Very carefully, lift up the parchment paper from that side and fold the filled end over the other to make a turnover. If you have any dough leftover at the other end, just fold it up to meet. (Better to not have a perfect shape than to accidentally break the dough!) Lower the heat to 375°F and bake for about 15 minutes more.

While the filled turnover is baking, combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small cup or bowl and mix well.

To present the turnover, pile some of the leftover filling on top and lightly drizzle on the sauce. You can dress up the plate or platter with some filling and sauce as well. To serve, simply cut slices and pass the drizzling sauce. Enjoy!