Once you introduce Sambousek With Cheese (Samosa) to your party table, every party without them will feel incomplete without this snack that is extremely easy to make and delicious to munch on.
What Is Sambousek?
If you have never heard of Sambousek, it is a crispy pie usually served as an appetizer. Think a fatayer, but with a slightly different dough, and baked instead of deep-fried. Sambousek is traditionally crescent-shaped, but some people make triangular or tubular versions of them. The choice of fillings varies greatly from meat to spinach. And, of course, there is a savoury, cheesy variety which is what we are going to focus on.
The crispiness of the covering falling apart as you bite into it and giving way to a gooey and savoury explosion of cheese in your mouth is what makes this dish such a popular favourite.
Origin Of Sambousek
Sambousaks originated in the Middle East and have been enjoyed for over 1000 years. They even had an entire poem written about them! The Sambouseks are the predecessors to the more popular Indian samosas, Italian calzones, and Latin American empanadas.
Enough of this. Let’s dive into our sumptuous Sambousek With Cheese.
Why Does This Recipe Work?
- Sambouseks are quick to make, which makes them an ideal snack for unannounced guests.
- They are quick, light, and airy bites and can be eaten at any time of the day.
- They are easily portable, which makes them ideal snacks for picnics.
- The recipe is quite flexible, owing to the wide variety of fillings that can be used to fill the Sambouseks.
- This is a healthier version of Samosa; no need to fry it; it is baked.
Cheese Sambousek Ingredients
Filo pastry. Filo Pastry is the base ingredient of this recipe. It will give us the light, airy and crispy exterior that makes these Cheese Sambouseks such a delight.
Feta cheese. The main filling for the Cheese Sambouseks. Feta cheese will give us the authentic flavour that we are looking for.
Mozzarella. A moderate amount of mozzarella cheese will be added to balance the saltiness and the tanginess of Feta Cheese.
Egg. Eggs are a minor addition to the cheesy filling of the Sambouseks, which will make the flavour a little nuanced.
Fresh Parsley. It will give your Sambousek With Cheese a peppery and earthy flavour.
Fresh Mint Leaves. Mint leaves will leave you with a sweet taste and a cool sensation in your mouth after gobbling down the Sambouseks.
Vegetable Oil. The Sambouseks will be deep-fried in the vegetable oil to allow their exterior to turn crispy. The Vegetable Oil that you use will subtly affect the taste of your Cheese Sambouseks, so choose wisely!
How To Make Sambousek With Cheese?
Preheat the oven to 200C, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk feta cheese and egg, mix in mozzarella, chopped parsley and mint.
Now, to fold Sambousek: Lay the filo sheets on top of each other and use a sharp knife to cut them lengthwise to equal strips.
Put one of the strips on a clean surface, put one tablespoon of the filling on top, and then roll it up in a triangle or tube shape.
Brush the end with water to close. Repeat until finish all the filling.
Now, brush all the Sambousaks with oil, and sprinkle over black sesame seeds.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.
Top Tips!
- Make sure that you use the mozzarella cheese in moderation. If it is in excess, it will ooze out when baking, giving you burnt cheese in the oil and an empty Sambousek.
- You may add one tablespoon of flour to the cheese to draw out the moisture. The cheese must be dry because even if there is a little moisture in the cheese, you will end up with soggy sambouseks.
- Make sure that you flip the Sambouseks to ensure they brown equally on both sides.
- When baking the Sambouseks, do not overcrowd the baking pan, but also do not use a baking pan that is too big.
- When reheating Sambouseks, wrap them in a paper towel before you place them in the microwave. This keeps them from getting excessively oily.
- After the Sambouseks are ready, let them sit for some time over paper towels to allow the excess oil to get absorbed in the towels.
- If the feta cheese is too salty, you can soak it in water to moderate it. However, make sure that you drain it overnight because this recipe needs cheese that is super dry.
Some Variations
- You can add chopped onions and garlic to the filling for added taste.
- You can perk up the aroma and flavours of the recipe by adding spices like cinnamon, cloves, red chilli powder, etc.
- Substitute the mint and parsley with other fresh green leaves like spinach, etc.
- Ground chicken, lamb, and beef are popular Sambousek fillings worth exploring.
- Using Egyptian white cheese instead of the Feta Cheese is something that you can try out for a saltier and creamier experience.
- Adding pine nuts to the Sambouseks will give them a soft, nutty sweetness.
- Air frying the Sambouseks will give you a crunchier exterior.
- You can fry the Sambouseks instead of baking them.
Serving Suggestions
- Sambousek with cheese is best served warm to experience the gooeyness of the cheese melting in your mouth.
- Serve them as a tea-time snack alongside some mint tea for sheer pleasure.
- Dipping the cheese Sambouseks in ketchup or mayonnaise is a great option.
- Another item that is ideal for dipping this dish into is tomato sauce.
FAQs
Instead of preparing Cheese Sambousaks and storing them, store them raw in the freezer. When it is time to actually make them is when you take them out, and bake them.
No, you can bake the Sambousaks frozen. You do not need to thaw them. However, you will need to cook them for a slightly more extended period of time if you do so.
No, the kind of Feta cheese that you should use depends on your personal preference. Danish Feta Cheese will give you a loaded creamy and salty experience, while you should go for Greek Feta Cheese for something slightly milder, and so on.
If you freeze Sambousaks before baking them (which is exactly how you should store them; avoid storing baked Sambousaks), they will keep for up to 3 to 4 months in the freezer.
To freeze them, first, keep them on a plate and place them in the freezer until they are no longer sticky or are semi-frozen. Then, transfer them to a zip lock bag and store them in the freezer.
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Sambousek With Cheese (Samosa) Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 sheets filo pastry
- 200 g feta cheese
- 300 g mozzarella cheese , shredded
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup parsley , chopped
- ¼ cup mint , chopped
- 3 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk feta cheese and egg, mix in mozzarella, chopped parsley and mint.
- Lay the filo sheets on top of each other and use a sharp knife to cut them lengthwise to equal strips.
- Put one of the strips on a clean surface, put one tablespoon of the filling on top, and then roll it up in a triangle or tube shape.
- Brush the end with water to close. Repeat until finish all the filling.
- Now, brush all the Sambousaks with oil, and sprinkle over black sesame seeds.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.
Notes
- Make sure that you use the mozzarella cheese in moderation. If it is in excess, it will ooze out when baking, giving you burnt cheese in the oil and an empty Sambousek.
- You may add one tablespoon of flour to the cheese to draw out the moisture. The cheese must be dry because even if there is a little moisture in the cheese, you will end up with soggy sambouseks.
- Make sure that you flip the Sambouseks to ensure they brown equally on both sides.
- When baking the Sambouseks, do not overcrowd the baking pan, but also do not use a baking pan that is too big.
- When reheating Sambouseks, wrap them in a paper towel before you place them in the microwave. This keeps them from getting excessively oily.
- After the Sambouseks are ready, let them sit for some time over paper towels to allow the excess oil to get absorbed in the towels.
- If the feta cheese is too salty, you can soak it in water to moderate it. However, make sure that you drain it overnight because this recipe needs cheese that is super dry.
Some Variations
- You can add chopped onions and garlic to the filling for added taste.
- You can perk up the aroma and flavours of the recipe by adding spices like cinnamon, cloves, red chilli powder, etc.
- Substitute the mint and parsley with other fresh green leaves like spinach, etc.
- Ground chicken, lamb, and beef are popular Sambousek fillings worth exploring.
- Using Egyptian white cheese instead of the Feta Cheese is something that you can try out for a saltier and creamier experience.
- Adding pine nuts to the Sambouseks will give them a soft, nutty sweetness.
- Air frying the Sambouseks will give you a crunchier exterior.
- You can fry the Sambouseks instead of baking them.
Nutrition
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I used to make samosa with spring roll pastry. Filo pastry is new to me.
I like this recipe because it is healthier; I don't like to fry my samosa.
Can i air fries these Sambouseks?
Yes, you can.
I love them; they are so crunchy and delicious. I used ricotta cheese instead of feta.
Add some olives to the filling; ten times more delicious with olives.