Makes 18-20 Sambousek
Active prep & cooking time: 30-45 minutes – Cooking time 20-25 mins per batch
Sambousek are delicious little stuffed hand pies originating in the Levant, and traditionally made with either cheese or beef fillings. Easier to make than you might think, our Sambousek are great as a snack or as a crowd-pleasing starter. We’ve substituted the traditional fillings for a honey-sweetened onion and mushroom mixture which delivers a satisfying flavour punch and the perfect balance of sweet and savoury, pocketed inside a wafer-thin pastry crust. Delicious warm or cold with tehina or a fresh rocket salad dressed with oil and balsamic.
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 punnet Chestnut Mushrooms, minced
- 1 Red Onion,
- finely diced and
- lightly salted
- 1 tbsp Oil
- ½ Stock Cube,
- crumbled
- (we used beef but you could use vegetable
- or chicken)
- 2 tbsp Honey
For the dough
- 250g Plain Flour
- ½ tsp Salt
- 113g Margerine, softened
- 60ml cold Water
- 1 Egg, beaten
- (for glazing)
Method
- Line two baking sheets with baking paper, then set aside. Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan (Gas Mark 6 / 400°F)
For the filling - Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the mushrooms and onions.
- Cook down for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, then crumble in the stock cube and mix together.
- Continue cooking until reduced and the mixture starts to hold together.
- Add 2 tbsp honey and cook for a further minute, stirring often.
For the dough - Place the flour, salt, margarine and most of the water into a mixing bowl or a food processor.
- Mix with hands and knead, or mix together in food processor on a low speed, until a ball of dough begins to form. If needed, add in a little extra water, a spoonful at a time.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until an oily dough has fully formed.
To make the Sambousek - Take half the dough, and cover in cling film to prevent it drying out.
- Roll the other half the dough out into a thin sheet (2-3mm thick).
- Used the top of a regular drinking glass (approx 7-8 cm) or a cookie cutter to cut out discs of dough. In total, both sheets of dough should make around 18-20 circles.
- Fill each disk with 1 tsp of the filling mixture, slightly off centre and leaving about 5mm around the edge.
- Fold over into half-moons and press down the edges so that there are no gaps. Then crimp the edges with a fork. Repeat until all the dough is used.
- Brush each of your sambousek with egg and place on the baking paper-lined oven trays you prepared earlier.
- Oven cook on 200ºC (180ºC Fan/400ºF) for 15-20 mins or until golden brown, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Whilst the first batch are cooking, use the remaining dough to prepare the second batch by repeating steps 10-15, above.
Photo by Yaffa Judah
