A flaky golden crust with spicy flavorful paneer filling. A perfect snack with tea – Paneer Puff Pastry Turnovers! Who would not love a warm savory puff? In many places in India, you get this at breakfast or snack shops. They used to be a favorite growing up. You get this similar puff pastry in the US, but most of the time it is with sweet filing. I did find a similar one in Germany which was savory filled with spinach and feta, which was delicious. I had one everyday on the way to work, picking it at the train station. Oh…I had forgotten all about counting calories then 🙂 I wanted to make these at home. Making puff pastry sheets can be hard, but guess what? You can buy these in stores and that makes this the easiest appetizer ever! Just add your favorite filling – potatoes, ground meat, paneer, cheese maybe? Oh…I am already looking forward to have these with my tea this evening! These pastry puffs are perfect for a party, similar to paneer pakora and sabudana vada. I have been making these for a very long time and they are my go to appetizer when I have friends visiting. These can be easily prepared in advance and baked when needed. You can make these puff pastries in the air fryer or in the oven. When I need to make these puff’s in bulk for a gathering, I use the oven. However when just preparing puffs for two, my Philips air fryer works best. I don’t have to heat the oven and the house for just two puffs. Let’s get cooking!
Preparing Paneer Filling for Puff Pastry
Before you start preparing the filling, get the puff pastry squares out of the freezer and let them thaw. You can use puff pastry squares or sheets, but I prefer squares as they are pre-cut to the size and saves me some effort. For the filling, you need paneer. The paneer can be homemade or store bought. I made the paneer for this recipe in the instant pot, which I love for my everyday cooking. If you are not aware of it, check it out here. Mash the paneer using a masher or with your gentle hands. You can also just cut them into small pieces. We will cook the paneer with onions, tomatoes and spices in a pan. I add more salt and red chili powder as it will not feel as spicy once filled in the puff pastry. Paneer filling can be stored easily in refrigerator for about a week or freezed for longer. This filling is very versatile and can be used as a side with roti/naan…it is basically paneer scramble or paneer bhurji! If you dont have puff pastry, use this filling to make paneer sandwiches or stuffed parathas or quesadilla’s. If you love paneer, don’t forget to check out my 20 Best Paneer recipes.
Preparing Paneer Puff Pastry Turnovers in the Air Fryer or Oven
If using oven, set it to preheat to 450°F when you start preparing the puff pastries. Spread the puff pastry squares on a baking tray. I spread them on my cutting board and then moved them to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place the paneer filing at the center or closer to one edge of the puff pastry square. Gently fold the square and pinch to the other side to make a triangle. All the edges should be closed. Use a fork to seal the edges well. Beat the egg white and brush them on the top side of the stuffed puff pastry. Sprinkle some nigella seeds to get the perfect looking puff! Nigella seeds are optional. You could also use sesame seeds if you like. Now, pop them in the oven or air fryer. For the oven, bake at 450°F for 10-12 minutes. For the air fryer, place two stuffed puff pastries into the air fryer basket. Bake at 390°F for 10-12 minutes. Flip them at about 7 min. Don’t they look just so warm and welcoming. Some people like to enjoy them with tomato ketchup, while others with mint chutney. All of them surely love a cup of warm tea or coffee with them. I love the Maggi Hot and Spicy Tomato Ketchup with these puffs. If you like a spice kick, you can find this in your nearest indian grocery store. Looking for more air fryer recipes? Check out this collection of 20+ vegetarian air fryer recipes. If you like this recipe, you might also like Tandoori Paneer Naan Pizza, Cauliflower Tikka Bites and Taro Fries in the air fryer recipe.
