Sambousek — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Crispy half-moon pastries with a savory filling of spiced lamb or cheese, fried until golden and shatteringly crisp. These beloved Lebanese pastries are the star of every festive meze spread.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp salt
300g ground lamb
1 onion, finely diced
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

1 Make the dough by mixing flour, salt, oil, and warm water. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Rest covered for 30 minutes.
2 Brown the ground lamb with diced onion, breaking it up finely. Add allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir in pine nuts and cool.
3 Roll dough thin and cut into 10cm circles using a round cutter or the rim of a bowl.
4 Place a tablespoon of filling on each circle. Fold into half-moons and crimp edges tightly with a fork to seal completely.
5 Heat oil to 175C in a deep pot. Fry sambousek in batches for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until evenly deep golden brown.
6 Drain on paper towels and serve hot with lemon wedges and a fresh herb salad alongside.

Did You Know?

Sambousek traveled the ancient Silk Road from Central Asia to the Levant, where Lebanese cooks refined them into the elegant pastries enjoyed today.