Baked Pea and Potato Samosas

The first time I went to India was fourteen years ago on my gap year. I travelled with two other girls with whom I’d been teaching English in Nepal. Throughout our adventures we took it in turns to suffer from the dreaded Delhi-belly, losing whole days to being curled up in grotty hostels, clutching our tummies in pain – but relishing the gruesome fodder this would provide for our gap year stories once we got to university.

My Delhi-belly did actually happen in Delhi. After the best part of a week I finally emerged from my bed, a ghostly, scruffy image of my former self, and announced that I was hungry. I broke my fast with a vegetable samosa from a street vendor, gently spiced and fresh from the bubbling oil. One bite and I was a new woman – the delicious little parcel had revived me. That day was the start of two life-long loves: for the friends who had nursed me back to health; and for the humble samosa; in my eyes the King of the South Asian street snack.

Samosas Frying in Hot Oil - Street Style

This is a healthier version of my beloved snack. Oven-baked so you get all the taste without the fat. This makes a great starter or serve as they would in India as a snack with tea.

Time: 1hr

Rating: A little fiddly

Serves: Makes 16 samosas. Serve 2 as a starter. You can keep them refrigerated or frozen and reheat in the oven.

Ingredients

For the filling:

300g potatoes

100g frozen peas

1 small onion

3 garlic cloves

1 inch knob of ginger

3 green chillies

Bunch corriander

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp tumeric

1 tsp garam masala

Generous pinch salt and pepper

For the pastry:

225g plain flour

2 tbsp vegetable oil

100ml water

1 tsp salt

More oil to brush

Serve with mango chutney

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C
2. Start by making the pastry. Pour the flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in the oil and water along with the salt and combine with your hands. Kneed briefly for a couple of minutes. Leave the dough in a ball in the bowl and set aside while you make the filling. The dough should rest for at least 30 minutes.
3. Next prepare your filling ingredients. Peel and finely chop the potatoes. Finely dice the onions. Finely chop the garlic, ginger and chillis (including seeds). Finely chop the coriander.
4. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onions, garlic, ginger and chilli for a minute. Add the potatoes and combine. Add the dry spices. Cook the mixture over a low heat, stirring regularly. Add 2-3 tbsp water every five minutes to make sure the mixture doesn’t stick.
5. Once the potatoes are soft all the way through, stir in the peas and the coriander. Continue to cook, stirring regularly until the peas are thawed through. Take off the heat and allow to cool.
6. Next prepare the pastry. Divide the dough into 8 and roll into small balls. Dust your surface with flour and roll the first ball out into a circle (about 15cm in diameter). Cut the circle in half. Then with your fingers, run a little water along the straight edge of the semi-circle. Bring one corner up to the other and using a fork, seal the straight edge of the pastry to form a small, wide cone.
7. Carefully pick up the pastry cone and using a teaspoon, fill with the mixture. Avoid the temptation to overfill! Then pinch the remaining edge of the parcel together to seal.
8. Place on a baking sheet and brush all over on both sides with vegetable oil.
9. Repeat for the remaining 15 balls.
10. Once all the samosas are ready put in the oven and bake for 10 mins. Take them out and brush again with oil. Return to the oven and bake for a further 10 mins, or until the pastry is lightly browned and crisp.
11. Allow to cool and serve with mango chutney.