SAMBUSAKS

These savoury, filled pastries, called Sambusaks are relatives of the samosa. Different incarnations can be found all over the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean. They have quite a history and can be traced back to 9th century Persian poetry where they were referred to as sanbusaj.

Traditionally these type of pastries were vegetarian and indeed ours were too until we threw in some crispy speck lardons. We’ve made a break from tradition with the pastry too, using our gluten-free cream cheese pastry.

Our Sambusaks may not be by the book but I’m sure you will fall in love with their fabulous, rich, slightly flakey pastry and delicious spinach, feta, pinenut and bacon filling.

Serve them as an entrée or for brunch or lunch. You can even make tiny versions for a pre-dinner treat and have your guests wax lyrically about them.

Rosie

 

SAMBUSAKS

Makes 10

Gluten-Free Cream Cheese Pastry

150      gm cold butter, diced
250      gm cream cheese, diced
180      gm rice flour )
60        gm tapioca flour ) or 280gm Revenge Gluten-free Plain Flour Mix
40        gm potato flour )
4          gm psyllium husks or guar gum
1          egg, beaten, to glaze

Place butter and cream cheese in a food processor and pulse to bring together. When combined, add flours and guar gum or phyllium husks and process. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary until the pastry comes together.

Turn onto baking paper and knead for several minutes, dusting with extra white rice flour if necessary.

Refrigerate for an hour or more. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (around 62gm each) and roll into balls.

In between two sheets of baking paper, roll out the balls into disks about 15cm in diameter. Return to the fridge until ready for use. The pastry will freeze well at this stage.

Filling

350        gm spinach leaves
200        gm speck or bacon, cubed
2            eggs, whisked
150        gm goats milk feta
2            teaspoons baking powder
35          gm parmesan cheese, grated
2            tablespoons pinenuts, toasted
              Freshly ground black pepper

Wilt the spinach leaves in boiling water, drain and cool. Place on a clean cloth, wrap and squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible.

Fry the speck or bacon cubes until crispy. Cool.

Reserve 2 tablespoons of the whisked eggs for sealing and glazing. Process remainder along with spinach, feta, baking powder and parmesan in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and fold in bacon, pinenuts and black pepper to taste.

SAMBUSAKS RAW PIC.jpg

 

To Assemble and Cook

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line baking trays with baking paper.

Place around 2 tablespoons of spinach mixture onto each of the pastry disks. Brush the edges of the pastry with reserved whisked egg and fold the pastry disks in half enclosing the filling. Press down on the edges to seal. Make a small hole or slash in the top of the pastry to allow the steam to escape. Transfer to prepared baking tray, brush pastries with whisked egg and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

 

REVENGE GLUTEN-FREE PLAIN FLOUR MIX          

450      gm fine white rice flour                    
150      gm fine brown rice flour                  
160      gm tapioca flour                             
260      gm potato starch (not flour) 

Mix up a batch and store in an airtight container.

Back to our blogs...