Samsa are flaky Uzbek pastries filled with meat and onions, though potatoes and pumpkin are common vegetarian alternatives. They are traditionally baked, resulting in a crisp and flaky dough and that maintains a juicy and delicious filling. Just look at that beauty.

There are a few techniques needed to make the perfect samsa. First, to get the dough extra flaky, we use copious amounts of ghee. The dough is flattened out thin and brushed with ghee, then rolled up tightly into a coil. We repeat this process several times to create layers of dough and ensure that there is ghee in every layer. For the filing, the secret is lost of onions—way more than you think you need. The onion is key to keeping the filling moist and juicy. Try these out, and you’ll immediately see why samsa are one of the most popular street foods across Central Asia.

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 1 lb beef or lamb, finely diced
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and finely diced
• 2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1.5 tsp cumin seeds
• 1.5 tsp lightly crushed coriander seeds
• 3 tablespoons butter, finely cubed

Dough:

• 6 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups water
• 6 tbsp ghee/clarified butter, melted

Topping:

• 1 egg yolk, whisked with a splash of water
• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

Directions:

1. For the dough, combine flour, salt, and water and knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and pliable. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 mins.
2. For the filling, combine the beef, potatoes, onions, and seasonings (but not the butter) in a large bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Do not salt the filling until you are ready to use it; otherwise, too much moisture will be drawn out of the onions and the filling may get soggy.
3. For a large batch like this, cut the dough in half and work with half at a time.
4. Roll the dough out into a thin circle, then brush with the clarified butter. Roll the dough up tightly into a cigar shape, then roll it around itself in a coil/swirl shape. View the video below for a demonstration on how to do this.
5. Chill the dough in the fridge for about 15 mins, then repeat the same process from the step above (roll it out, brush with more clarified butter, roll then swirl). The more times you do this, the flakier the dough will be—I like to do this 3-4 times.
6. Roll the dough out a final time, brush again with clarified butter, and roll it up. Cut one inch sections from the dough log and flatten each piece out into a circle; this batch will make about 25 circles.
7. Use a rolling pin to roll out each circle. Add about 1-2 tbsp of filling in the center of the circle and place a small pat of butter on top.
8. Pinch the left and right sides of the dough together until you are halfway down the circle. Then, bring the bottom up to the center and pinch together to create a triangle shape (the video will show you how to do this).
9. Place the samsa seam-side down on a nonstick baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Top with sesame seeds in the center.
10. Bake at 350F for 45-50 mins or until golden. Enjoy warm.

For a more detailed video tutorial, watch my TikTok here:

@madeby.milena

samsa courtesy of my grandma #food #samsa #uzbek #uzbekfood #pastry #beef #potato #cooking #baking #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

♬ original sound – milena