Folding samosas

Folding samosas

Form a sealed, crispy triangle from a dough disc or a brick wrapper

The technique

Cut a disc of dough in half to get two half-circles. Lightly moisten the straight edge of one. Fold its right point toward the center of the straight side to form a cone. Fold the left point over to close the cone. Fill the cone, press it lightly to pack the filling, then fold the top over toward the front to seal. With a rectangular brick wrapper, fold it into a triangle by alternately folding the corners.

When

For Indian samosas, Moroccan briouats, Senegalese fatayas, and all small fried triangular pastries. The shape suits thick fillings of vegetables or minced meat.

Pitfalls

1. A cone that isn't closed well lets oil and filling leak out during frying
2. Too much filling keeps you from sealing the last flap
3. Dough that is too wet turns sticky and tears
4. Edges that aren't moistened don't stick and open during cooking

The benchmark

The triangle should have equal sides and a firmly pinched tip. When you hold the samosa flat, the filling should not shift. Fry at a medium temperature: too hot, and the samosa browns before the inside is heated through.