Baked Samosas - a party snack

While i am idly browsing through food blogs, songs from the movie 'Baazigar' reach my ear from far. Suddenly i feel nostalgic for a Shahrukh movie. I feel an urge to write, sudden inspiration from an unexpected source. I used to be a big fan, used to enjoy the silliness; i have become indifferent. I can't claim to be a fan anymore when the last movie i watched on the big screen was some five years ago and that too in a movie theater in London. There it seemed important that 'Billu' be given his due. Back in India i don't care; I can't make time. I should go watch his next release, just for old times sake. Anybody wanna go watch with me? And sponsor the popcorn ? Or some samosa?

Because i love samosas. Before my love for rice became prominent, samosas were my love for a really long time through my growing up years. If i was ever allowed a quota of street food, it was always samosas. Especially those tiny ones with onion-peas filling. Though those slowly gave way to these big samosas with potato filling. (On a side note, i eventually graduated to chili fritters and chicken biryanis.)

So anyway while i was under the effects of the baking bug, i simply could not resist when i saw a recipe for the perfect baked samosa. This woman had tried out six different doughs and came up with the best. What's not to love when someone else does all the hard work for you and offers you the perfect recipe. Here's what i did, only barely tweaking the dough recipe and using my own filling.

Recipe Source: Aarti Parti

Prep time: 40-45 minutes

Bake time: 25 minutes

Ingredients for dough:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup wholewheat flour

1/4 cup yogurt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Big pinch salt

1/2 tsp. ajwain seeds (optional)

Filling: As suggested for dry curry in this recipe. Without the tomatoes, and adding boiled peas and carrots along with the boiled potatoes.

Method:

1. To make dough: In large bowl, combine flours, yogurt, oil, salt and ajwain seeds. Bring ingredients together into a dough. You may need extra teaspoonfuls of water based on the quality of the wheat flour. Knead for 5 minutes until it has softened a bit. Allow to rest, at room temperature, for 15 minutes. You can put this in the fridge too, but make sure you let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or so, in order for it to soften. 

2. Make the filling with your favourite veggies. You can also add chicken if you like, just make sure the end result is dry or else your samosas can become soggy.

3.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees f.

4. Roll the dough into a short cylinder. Slice into two. Slice each half into two, so you have 4 bits. Roll each bit into a ball. Flatten ball into a disc, then, on floured surface, roll into a 1/8″ thick, 7″ wide circle. Cut into two semi-circles.

5. Place a tablespoon or so of filling in the center of one of the semi-circles. Have a small bowl of water handy. Dip your finger in the water and run it along the edges of the semi-circle. Arrange semi-circle so the flat side is facing away from you. Grab the left corner and fold it over dough in a triangular motion, so that this corner lands on the bottom right side of the filling. Do the same with the other corner. (see pics for better illustration). Squeeze bottom shut, and fold over, sealing with water. If you like, seal using a fork. Place on lightly greased baking sheet/ parchment paper. Repeat, until you have 8 big samosas ready for baking.

6. Bake for 15 minutes at 425, then turn heat down to 375 and bake 10 more minutes. Flip them over just before you turn the heat down. 

7. Delicious samosas are ready.

La's Notes:

I made 12 smaller sizes samosas out of the same dough. Make as many small ones or as few big ones as you like.

Do note that these are soft samosas and not crispy like oil fried ones. 
This is also a great way to use up any leftover dry curries. Make sure to bring the filling close to room temperature if it was stored in the fridge.

PS: These pics are from 2 years ago. I made these samosas again for my party recently but didn't get time to click better pics.