Cheese Sambusak

Name: Cheese Sambusak
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 24 sevings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup canola oil; 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup hot water; 3 cups flour; 6 ounces crumbled Feta cheese; 6 ounce crumbled kashkaval cheese; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped; 3 large eggs, divided; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; Poppy or sesame seeds for topping; nonstick cooking spray; vegetable oil

User Reviews

4.7

18 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings
24 sevings
Calories
178 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Middle Eastern

Cheese Sambusak

Iris Warren

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Cheese Sambusak - savory Middle Eastern turnover pastry hand-pies stuffed with cheese and fresh herbs.

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Ingredients

Servings

1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup hot water
3 cups flour
6 ounces crumbled Feta cheese
6 ounce crumbled kashkaval cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 large eggs, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Poppy or sesame seeds for topping (optional)
nonstick cooking spray (if baking)
vegetable oil (if frying - choose oil with a high smoke point)

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Instructions

First, make your pasty dough. Combine canola oil, melted butter, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix in the hot (not boiling) water. Gradually stir in the flour, a ½ cupful at a time, till a soft and oily dough forms.When the dough becomes too thick to stir, use your hands to work the last bit of flour into the dough. Don’t over-knead—stop when the ball holds together and the dough is smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for a few minutes while you make your filling.
Don’t let the dough sit for longer than 30 minutes before rolling it out, or it will cool down and become more difficult to work with.In a food processor, combine feta and kashkaval cheeses, parsley, 2 eggs and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse ingredients till a light creamy paste forms. This is your sambusak filling.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. While oven is heating, assemble your sambusak. There are a couple of ways to do this. The Half-Moon shape is more popular because it’s easiest to do; the Triangle Shape is popular for Purim because it’s reminiscent of Haman’s hat.
To Make Half Moon Shape: Flour your rolling surface. Pull a walnut-sized piece of dough from the dough ball; recover the dough ball with plastic. Roll the small piece of dough into a ball with your hands.
Lightly flour your rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a rough circle that is between 4 ½ and 5 inches wide. The dough will be quite thin.
Place 1 tbsp of filling in the center of the circle. Fold the circle in half over the filling. Seal the edges by pinching gently with your fingers to create a half-moon shape.
Use a fork to score the edges of the sambusak—this will help seal them and also make them look pretty.Repeat process until all of the dough has been used. I find it’s easiest to roll out five dough pieces at a time, stuff them and seal them, then roll out five more. This saves time and is more efficient them rolling, stuffing and sealing each individual piece.
To Make Triangle Shape: Flour your rolling surface. Divide your dough into four equal-sized sections.Choose one section to work with, keep the other sections under plastic wrap till you’re ready to use them.Lightly flour your rolling pin. Roll the dough out till it is very thin. You will want to cut a square with 8- to 10-inch sides from the dough, so keep this in mind as you roll it out; I sometimes use a ruler to help gauge the size.
Once your dough is rolled out, cut a square with equal length sides from the dough. The square should be somewhere between 8 inches and 10 inches wide. Use a ruler or straight edge to cut the sides as straight as possible.Push extra dough trimmings into a small ball and store it under the plastic wrap separate from the rest of the dough.
Cut the square into equal-sized quarters. Each of these quarters will be used to form a sambusak.Cut the square into equal-sized quarters. Each of these quarters will be used to form a sambusak.
Place 1 tbsp of filling into the center of each square.
Fold one corner of a square over to the diagonally opposite corner and pinch to seal the sides.
Use a fork to score the edges of the sambusak—this will help seal them and also make them look pretty.
Repeat process for remaining squares. Roll out remaining dough sections in the same way, using the ball of trimmings as a fifth and final section of dough.Once your sambusak have been assembled, they are ready to be cooked. You can either deep fry them or bake them. I prefer to bake them because of the more consistent results (plus it’s healthier)—but frying is more traditional.
To Bake Sambusak: Place sambusak on a lightly greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet.Beat the remaining egg with 1 tsp of cold water. Brush the sambusak with a thin layer of the egg wash. Sprinkle the sambusak with poppy seeds or sesame seeds, if desired. Bake sambusak at 350 degrees F for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
To Fry Sambusak: Do not use egg wash or coat with seeds. Heat an oil with a high smoke point (like grapeseed) over medium until hot, but not smoking.Fry the sambusak in batches of four till golden, turning halfway through cooking.
Drain on a paper towel before serving.Serve sambusak warm or at room temperature. They’re best straight from the oven, but the baked ones also keep quite well, and can be reheated in the microwave if desired.

Notes

You will also need: Food processor, plastic wrap, rolling pin, baking sheets
Note: Assembled uncooked sambusak can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours prior to baking. You can also freeze them; just pop them in the oven directly from the freezer, brush with egg wash and sesame or poppy seeds (if using), and bake till golden brown. If frying, let them defrost for about 20 minutes prior to placing them in the hot oil.
Note:
Assembled uncooked sambusak can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours prior to baking. You can also freeze them; just pop them in the oven directly from the freezer, brush with egg wash and sesame or poppy seeds (if using), and bake till golden brown. If frying, let them defrost for about 20 minutes prior to placing them in the hot oil.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 178kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Cholesterol 46mg (15%) Sodium 216mg (9%) Potassium 37mg (1%) Vitamin A 265IU (5%) Vitamin C 0.8mg (1%) Calcium 78mg (8%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24sevings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 178 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	178kcal	9%
Carbohydrates	12g	4%
Protein	4g	8%
Fat	12g	18%
Saturated Fat	5g	25%
Cholesterol	46mg	15%
Sodium	216mg	9%
Potassium	37mg	1%
Vitamin A	265IU	5%
Vitamin C	0.8mg	1%
Calcium	78mg	8%
Iron	1mg	6%