Uzbek Samsa

About This Recipe

Uzbek samsa are triangular or round pastries baked in a tandoor oven until their laminated dough is golden and shatteringly flaky. Unlike fried Indian samosas, these are baked and the dough is layered with butter or fat to achieve their characteristic flakiness. The filling of minced lamb and raw onion renders down inside the pastry as it bakes, creating a juicy, intensely savoury filling.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 400 gplain flour
• 180 mlwarm water
• 1 tspsalt
• 60 gbutter(softened)
• 400 gminced lamb
• 2 largeonions(very finely diced)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 0.5 tspchilli flakes
• 1egg(beaten, for glaze)
• 1 tbspsesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1

   Make dough

   Mix flour, salt and warm water into a smooth dough. Rest covered 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Laminate

   Roll dough thin, spread with softened butter, fold into thirds, roll again. Repeat twice for flaky layers. Rest 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Make filling

   Mix minced lamb with onions, cumin, black pepper, chilli and salt. Do not cook — it will cook inside the pastry.

4. 4

   Shape

   Cut dough into 8 squares. Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of each. Fold into triangles and pinch edges firmly.

5. 5

   Bake

   Place on a lined baking tray, brush with egg and scatter sesame seeds. Bake at 200°C for 25–30 minutes until deeply golden.

Variations

• •

  Fill with pumpkin and onion for a popular autumn vegetarian version.

• •

  Round samsa shapes are traditional in some regions; triangles in others.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten fresh from the oven. Reheat in the oven at 180°C for 8 minutes to restore flakiness.

Frequently Asked Questions