Portuguese Shrimp Rissois (Printable Version)

Classic Portuguese turnovers with creamy shrimp filling, fried to golden perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1 cup milk
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - ½ cup water

→ Shrimp Filling

06 - 10 oz small raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - ¼ cup milk
11 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
12 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Breading & Frying

15 - 2 large eggs, beaten
16 - 1½ cups breadcrumbs
17 - Vegetable oil for frying

# Directions:

01 - Combine milk, water, butter, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously until dough forms and pulls away from sides. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then knead until smooth. Cover and set aside.
02 - Cook shrimp in simmering salted water for 2–3 minutes until pink. Drain well, chop finely, and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook 1–2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk to form thick béchamel sauce. Add chopped shrimp, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook 2–3 minutes, then cool completely.
04 - Roll dough on floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut 3-inch circles. Place 1 teaspoon filling in center of each circle, fold in half, and seal edges by pressing with fingers or fork.
05 - Dip each turnover in beaten egg, then coat thoroughly with breadcrumbs.
06 - Heat vegetable oil to 350°F. Fry rissois for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
07 - Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges or light dipping sauce.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between the shattering crust and velvety filling creates that irresistible restaurant quality texture
  • They freeze beautifully before frying, so you can keep a batch ready for unexpected guests
  • The béchamel filling technique transforms simple shrimp into something extraordinary
02 -
  • The filling must be completely cold before assembling, otherwise the dough will become soggy and difficult to work with
  • Don't overcrowd the frying pan or the oil temperature will drop and the rissois will absorb too much oil
  • Seal edges firmly or the filling will burst out during frying
03 -
  • Roll dough between sheets of parchment paper if it sticks to your counter
  • Use kitchen shears to chop shrimp into uniform tiny pieces quickly
  • Let fried rissois drain standing up in a colander for extra crispiness

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