Lamb Samosas

By bronxie

A samosa is a common snack in South Asia, in countries such as India, Pakistan and Nepal as well as Bangladesh. It is believed that it originated in Central Asia prior to the 10th century. It generally consists of a fried triangular- or tetrahedron-shaped pastry shell with a savory potato, onion, fresh coriander, cottage cheese known as Paneer and pea stuffing, but other stuffings like minced meat and lamb are often used but not traditional. The size and shape of a samosa, as well as the consistency of the pastry used, can vary considerably although it is mostly triangular. It can be spicy and is often eaten with chutney, such as mint, coriander or tamarind. It is often savored with tea or coffee. It can also be prepared as a sweet form, rather than as a savory one

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sunflower or olive oil
• 300 g/11oz lamb, finely chopped or minced
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 100 g/4oz peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• 5 sheets of filo pastry, measuring 10inx20in
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• Preparation time less than 30 mins
• Cooking time 10 to 30 mins

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat sunflower or olive oil in a frying pan. Add the lamb, onion and ground spices. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook for about ten minutes without a lid until the lamb is just cooked and the juices from the lamb have evaporated from the pan.
2. Add the peas and mix well.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chopped coriander and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper again to taste. Set aside for a minute to let the lamb cool.
4. Lay the filo pastry out on a clean board and cut in half lengthways, then in half once more widthways, so that you have four rectangles from each whole sheet. Cover all the pieces of filo with a barely damp tea towel (to prevent them from drying out).
5. Place one sheet of filo pastry lengthways in front of you. Pile a dessertspoon of the lamb
mixture onto the end closest to you. Roll the pastry from the end closest to you,
once, then fold in both the long sides and then roll over and over, away from you,
into a little parcel. Brush the finishing edge with a little of the beaten egg to seal
and then place on a baking tray. Brush the finished samosa with beaten egg and
repeat the process until no pastry and meat remains.
6. These can be prepared earlier in the day up to this point and chilled in the fridge.
7. To cook, place the baking tray with the samosas into an oven preheated to 220C for 10-12 minutes until golden brown in color