SAMOSA PUFFS ARE PERFECT FOR YOUR NEXT PARTY - especially paired with a few jars of our Tamarind Chutney. Visions of samosas dance in my head even more when the holidays come around. This year, our main celebration day for Diwali is November 1st. I always remember my family and all of the aunties getting their holiday spirit started with homemade samosas. Making the dough and filling it was always a slight issue - meaning that it's a commitment. So whenever someone wanted samosas fast they reached for the frozen puff pastry sheets, which in a pinch are a godsend. You get that perfect samosa filling paired with the puff of the pastry browned until crispy in the oven. What I love about these is that there is no frying involved. And, they can be rolled, wrapped, and stored in the fridge ahead of time to pull out ahead of a party for a quick and hot appetizer that will be sure to impress everyone. When I need to take a dish to an event, I simply ask the host to turn on the oven, take a few rolls and cut them up at the party, put them in the oven and pull them out to serve with our Tamarind Chutney and homemade mint-cilantro chutney. There's no better item for a pot luck and ensures an invite to all parties! Do yourself a favor and make the filling ahead of time. I shared my recipe for it in this post. I hope you make these for the holidays and think of me!
Oven: Baked Samosa Puff
1 batch potato filling, click here for the recipe *
1 box puff pastry sheets (2 sheets)
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, stirred together in small bowl **
1. Thaw the pastry sheets at room temperature for about 40 minutes until they are easy to handle.
2. Position your oven rack in the second from the top position and heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray 2 baking sheets with oil.
3. Once the filling is room temperature, unfold one sheet of pastry on a lightly-floured surface. Layer the potato filling over the entire sheet, Leaving a tiny space towards the edges for easier rolling.
4. Starting with the edge closest to you, roll it up like a jelly roll. Once rolled, tightly wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge to set for a few minutes. Even 5 minutes helps with cutting. Keep in mind, the ends can be an issue. You can pinch them together and cut/cook the ends. Or, simply cut away the extra pastry on the ends of each roll and discard. I prefer to cook it and give them to the kids!
5. With a sharp knife (serrated helps), cut the roll into slices. Here is where I differ from other recipes. I cut the slices 3/4 inch thick. (other recipes call for 1/2 inch). The reason is that otherwise the potato filling tends to fall out. If you use my measurement, you'll get about 14 pieces from each roll rather than 20. It may also be why I cook mine slightly longer than the package recommends.
6. Place the rounds flat on the baking sheets. With a pastry brush lightly 'paint' each samosa puff with the egg wash. ** This gives your samosas puffs an extra pretty shine, but honestly I don't feel like it makes a huge difference. Feel free to skip this step.
7. Bake the puffs for 25 minutes. This is where I also differ from recipes, which call for a shorter cook time. Maybe because mine are a little thicker, it takes longer to cook. But, you need that crispy brown to the puff for the best results. I also think my oven does not run as hot as others. So, start with a 20-minute cook time and add as needed to get them browned and crisp.
* Remember, if you are making this ahead of time, pull it out and let it come to room temperature before stuffing. Cold potatoes get hard and will then push through the pastry.
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