Chicken and Vegetable Turnovers with Sourdough Einkorn Crust

Chicken turnovers – also overflowing with leeks, carrots, celery and kale – baked in my oven while my husband and son raked leaves in the yard on Sunday afternoon.  It’s autumn, now.  The aspen leaves have abandoned their perch and lay in blissful, crisp piles around the yard and along the stone path to our door.

My little boy waited patiently as the first hints of autumn arrived.  He watched as the green leaves turned to yellow, and then to a rich gold and then to brown.  He and his father spent the better part of the afternoon raking leaves together, piling them high in the center of the lawn so that my elated boy can jump in, falling against the crackly, crunchy brown leaves who crumple under his little (but strong) 50-pound frame.

After their time outside, I wanted to feed them well – something satisfying, but also portable so that dinner might not interfere with leaf play and what could be, perhaps, the last of the temperate, mild-weathered afternoons of the year.  Winter will set in shortly, and we’ll have plenty of time then to snuggle inside, in front of the fire.  Chicken turnovers, brimming with autumn vegetables, seemed appropriate.  Turnovers and also warm milk with a touch of molasses and cinnamon – it’s sure to warm bellies against the bracing chill of an autumn evening.

We’ll take a walk later, chicken turnover and mug of warm milk in hand, to our plot in the community garden.  We’ll see if our cabbages are ready, if there’s any carrots left and what must be done this week to prepare the plot for winter.

Chicken Turnovers with Sourdough Einkorn Crust

For these turnovers (and most of my other pastries – like red currant pie), I favor a sourdough crust made from einkorn flour.  Einkorn is an ancient grain – the first wheat.  It is rich in flavor, and, as is the case with most older and heirloom varieties, it is also richer in vitamins and minerals than its modern cousin.  Unlike modern wheat, the gluten molecule found in traditional, old-world einkorn flour is often well-tolerated by people who are otherwise gluten-intolerant.  Indeed, it works well for my family.  We typically purchase it online in bulk.

The process of sourdough fermentation, as called for in this recipe, also increases the flavor of the turnovers – where the crusts mild tartness helps to balance the sweetness of leeks and carrots.  Just as the souring process helps to increase the flavor of grains, it also helps to make improve the availability of trace minerals in those grains as well. Even further, grains and flours prepared according to traditional sourdough methods are also richer in folate than grains, flours, doughs and batters not subject to sourdough fermentation.

I always keep a jar of sourdough starter bubbling away on my kitchen counter.  It’s easier to maintain than you might think and its uses extend far beyond bread baking to tarts, pancakes, pies and these chicken turnovers.

Where to Buy Einkorn (and how to get your sourdough started)

Einkorn berries and einkorn flour are not yet widely available (it’s much more difficult to grow, process and mill than modern wheat), but you can purchase it online at affordable rates and often with free shipping (see sources).

It’s easy to make a sourdough starter, as it requires only flour, water, a bit of existing starter (which you can find here), and time.  Check out this tutorial on how to make a sourdough starter.