Sambousek two ways

Makes 60 Starters and mains

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Method

For the dough, pour in the flour, baking powder and 1tsp salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and 375ml lukewarm water. Combine to make a soft dough with your hands. Knead for two minutes on a working surface until smooth. Divide into small equal-sized balls the size of a walnut and place on a tray. Cover with plastic wrap
and leave to rest while you prepare the filling.

For the lamb filling, heat the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onion and the garlic until soft. Add the meat and brown while stirring. Add the spices, herbs, pomegranate syrup, sumac, salt and pepper to taste, and pine nuts. Taste to adjust the seasonings. Place in a colander to drain any excess oil. Cool completely before using as a filling for the sambousek.

For the cheese filling, mix the feta cheese, mozzarella, egg white and thyme in a bowl.

Take a ball of dough and flatten into a small disc by hand or rolling pin. Place a teaspoonful of the cheese filling in the centre. Fold over and press the edges to make a crescent. Pick up the filled crescent, go back to the edge and fold over and twist to crimp the edges and give it a finished look. For the triangle shape, start with the same round disc. Place the filling in the centre and gather the corners to meet in the centre to make a triangle. Pinch to seal the three borders. At this point, you can freeze the filled sambousek for later use. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and fry 4 or 5 sambousek at a time until golden brown and crisp – about 1 minute on each side. Serve hot.