Samosa

The samosa is a very famous dish in Indian cuisine, known for its crispy wrapper and flavorful filling. As I am also an expert in variations, after the traditional recipe I will propose an Italian twist.

Here is the recipe for traditional samosas:

Ingredients

• For the wrapper:

  • 250 g of flour
  • 60 ml of vegetable oil
  • 80 ml of water
  • A pinch of salt

• For the filling:

  • 2 medium-sized potatoes, boiled, peeled, and mashed
  • 100 g of fresh or frozen peas
  • 1 tablespoon of oil
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
  • 1 medium finely chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon of grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of chopped coriander
  • 1 teaspoon of Garam Masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
  • Salt, pepper, and chili powder to taste
  • Oil for frying

Preparation

1. Prepare the wrapper: in a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the oil and start to knead. Gradually pour in the water and work the dough until it becomes smooth. Cover the dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

2. For the filling, heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to pop, add the onion and ginger and sauté until the onion turns golden.

3. Then add the mashed potatoes, peas, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, salt, pepper, and chili. Mix well and cook for a few minutes. Let the filling cool.

4. Divide the wrapper dough into medium-sized balls. Roll out each ball into a circle and cut in half to get two semi-circles.

5. Take a semi-circle and form a cone, sealing the edges with a little water. Fill it with the filling, then seal the opening to form a triangular samosa.

6. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the samosas over medium-low heat until they are golden and crispy.

7. Drain them on paper towels and serve hot.

Italian variation: For a variation, you could replace the filling with a mixture of ricotta, spinach sautéed with garlic and raisins, adding a sprinkle of Parmesan for a thoroughly Italian touch.