Sambousek Recipes

SAMBOUSEK (SPINACH, MEAT, CHEESE FILLINGS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, olive oil and salt. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the water.
• Gradually fold the flour into the water while simultaneously rotating the bowl.
• Dough will be slightly sticky
• Knead the dough until pliable and no longer sticky
• Place in fridge for one hour allow dough to set.
• Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough into a 1/4" thick rectangle.
• Using a cookie cutter or even a large glass, cut out circles from the dough.
• Do not lift or remove the circles.
• Slowly lift the excess dough surrounding the circles and replace in the bowl to be rolled out again as a second batch.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed
• Mix the filling ingredients. Take tablespoon of filling mixture and put on each circle. Take about a teaspoonful of mixture and place in the center of each circle
• Fold circles in half to create half-moons (semi-circles). Pinch the edges together with a fork or fingers to tightly seal
• Repeat same process with the remaining dough and filling
• Frying : Heat oil in a 6qt saucepan over medium-high heat (fill oil no more than half-way)
• Fry the Sambousek until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes, turning once.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on paper towels
• Baking: Dip each piece in olive oil and put in sheet pan.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes till brown.
• Serve cold or warm.

CHEESE SAMBOUSEK

Steps:

• First make the dough:.
• Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process for 5 seconds.
• Add the butter and pulse 10 times, or until the mixture is the consistency of fine meal.
• With the machine running, add the water in a steady stream, taking about 10 seconds to do so.
• Process for 1 minute. The dough will gather into a ball and form a mass that whirls around the blade. Feel the dough. It should be smooth, soft, elastic, and no longer sticky.
• If necessary, adjust the texture with droplets of water or small amounts of flour, processing a few seconds after each addition. If you want to add seeds to the dough, knead them in by hand on your work surface.
• Divide the dough into 24 pieces and shape into balls (3/4 ounce each).
• Cover the balls of dough loosely with a kitchen towel and let stand for 30 minutes.
• Next, the filling:.
• Place the cheese, salt, cayenne, egg, and egg white in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse very rapidly 20 to 30 times, until the mixture just begins to gather into a mass.
• Turn out onto a sheet of waxed paper or plastic wrap and pat into a 6 x 4-inch rectangle.
• Cut the cheese mixture into 1-inch squares.
• Adjust two oven racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350°F
• Line two 14 x 17-inch baking sheets with silicone baking pan liners or cooking parchment.
• To shape the sambouseks, pat a ball of dough into a 4-inch circle on your unfloured work surface.
• Place a square of the cheese mixture slightly below the center of the circle and pat it into a semicircular shape, leaving a bottom border of dough a scant 1/2 inch wide.
• Fold the top half of the dough over the cheese and press the edges firmly to seal.
• Use a fingertip to crimp the edge of the dough back on itself, forming a fluted border.
• Place the sambousek on the prepared sheet.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and cheese, placing 12 sambouseks about 2 inches apart on each sheet.
• Paint the sambouseks with the egg wash.
• Bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back once during baking to ensure even browning. Use a wide metal spatula to transfer the sambouseks to wire cooling racks, and serve warm or at room temperature.