Beef Pastries (Samosas) - Safavid Style
This ancient recipe originates from the time when the Safavid dynasty ruled over the Persian Empire (1501-1722, and 1729-1736). It reflects the big variety of spices that were used back in those days, in all the regions that made up this vast empire. This is a very simple and quick dish to make, yet presents you with mouthfuls of scrumptious flavours from the East. Enjoy! Adapted from Persiana, by Sabrina Ghayour
Ingredients. - Makes 12 pastries
- 200g minced beef
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 leaks
- ½ tsp paprika
- 6 garlic cloves
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground sumac
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp chilli powder
- 1 tbsp dried edible rose petals
- Pinch of sea salt
- Pinch of pepper
- 1 small red onion
- A small handful of flat leaf parsley
- 1 ready-rolled puff pastry sheet (about 35x24cm)
- 40g butter
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan on medium to high heat, with a drizzle of cooling oil. Fry the beef in the pan, stirring constantly.
- Once the beef starts to go brown, add all the spices, as well as the rose petals. Mix everything up thoroughly. Then add the salt and pepper to taste. Keep cooking and stirring till the beef mixture is dry and cooked through. Set the beef mixture aside and allow to cool.
- Pre-heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas mark 7. Line a baking try with a non-stick baking sheet.
- Chop the red onion finely and add to the beef mixture once it has cooled. Also add the parsley leaves, finely chopped.
- Cut the pastry sheet into 12 squares. Take a heaped table spoon of the beef mixture and at it to the middle of a pastry square, then fold the square into a triangle, pressing the edges together tightly to seal. Repeat this will all other pastry squares.
- Place the triangles of filled pastry on the paper-lined baking tray, leaving about 2cm space between each triangle.
- Melt the butter and brush the pastry triangles with it. Finally place the pastries in the oven to bake for 20 minutes or until golden and puffed up.
