Shared by Svetlana Davydov and her granddaughter Elena
Shared by Svetlana Davydov and her granddaughter Elena
Samsa (Savory Pastries With Beef)
Yield: 8 servingsTime: 1 h and 45 min
Samsa (Savory Pastries With Beef)
Yield: 8 servingsTime: 1 h and 45 minFamily Journey
Tashkent, UzbekistanQueens, New York City
Long Island, NY
This recipe was shared by Svetlana Davydov and her granddaughter Elena. Read more about their family in "Pelmeni, Samsa, and More Uzbek Recipes From a Bukharian Grandmother" and try their recipes for pelmeni (beef dumplings), plov (rice pilaf) and manti (Uzbek dumplings).
Ingredients
- 1 pack parve mini puff pastry squares (3 inches x 3 inches)
- 2 eggs, beaten
For the beef filling
- 1 pound finely chopped beef chuck, chopped into ⅙ inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the squash filling
- 1 ½- 2 medium butternut squashes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation
Step 1
For the squash filling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place one oven rack in the center and one in the upper third of the oven. Peel and chop the squash into small pieces. Season with salt pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Once the squash has cooled, mash it with a fork to a chunky consistency. Mix in the onion, salt and pepper and combine well.
Step 2
Reduce the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 3
For the beef filling, place the beef, onion, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well.
Step 4
Lay out all the puff pastry squares onto a clean counter top. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the beef or squash filling into the center of each square.
Step 5
Fold the top two edges of the puff pastry square over the filling to the center to create a triangular shape on the upper part of the samsa and fold the bottom flat edge up and into the center of the samsa to seal the filling. Pinch the edges together to create a triangular shape.
Step 6
Place the samsas seam-side down with onto a few parchment lined baking sheets. Separate the samsas by about 1 inch to leave room to rise. Brush the samsa with egg wash.
Step 7
Bake each sheet tray one at a time. Place one tray of samsa into the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Step 8
Transfer the baking sheet to the upper rack of the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining baking sheets.
Step 9
Serve hot.
