Vegetable Samosas
Wonderful with fresh spring peas, these crisp Indian-style turnovers can be made with your choice of vegetables in other seasons.
Ingredients:
- 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into
2-inch pieces - 1 tsp. curry powder
- 6 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
- 1/2 cup shelled peas
- 3 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 package (17.25 oz.) frozen puff pastry, thawed
in the refrigerator - 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbs. water
- 2 tsp. caraway seeds
Directions:
Place the potatoes in a saucepan with water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Using a fork, mash well, mixing in the curry powder and 3 Tbs. of the oil at the same time. Set aside.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 3 Tbs. oil. Add the onion and sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the carrot and sauté until the carrot has softened, 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir the onion and carrot into the potatoes.
Bring a small saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil, add the peas and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and add to the potato mixture along with the cilantro. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
On a work surface, roll out the puff pastry very thin. Using a scalloped biscuit cutter 3 inches in diameter, cut out rounds. Place about 1 tsp. of the potato mixture in the center of each round. Brush the edges of the round with some of the egg-water mixture, fold in half and press the edges together to seal.
Preheat an oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the filled pastries on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the remaining egg-water mixture. Sprinkle the tops with the caraway seeds. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Bake the samosas until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve hot.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 3 Tbs. oil. Add the onion and sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the carrot and sauté until the carrot has softened, 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir the onion and carrot into the potatoes.
Bring a small saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil, add the peas and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and add to the potato mixture along with the cilantro. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
On a work surface, roll out the puff pastry very thin. Using a scalloped biscuit cutter 3 inches in diameter, cut out rounds. Place about 1 tsp. of the potato mixture in the center of each round. Brush the edges of the round with some of the egg-water mixture, fold in half and press the edges together to seal.
Preheat an oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the filled pastries on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the remaining egg-water mixture. Sprinkle the tops with the caraway seeds. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Bake the samosas until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve hot.
Adapted from
Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series,
Vegetarian for All Seasons,
by Pamela Sheldon Johns
(Time-Life Books, 1998).