Samosa Puffs

Samosa inside, but phyllo outside. The puffs are made up of layers of phyllo dough, which are cut into squares and placed inside a muffin pan, filled with samosa stuffing, and then baked. Prepare the samosa stuffing first, and then the phyllo dough. It should take you about 2 hours from start to finish. Pre-boil the potatoes to reduce prep time.


You'll need a muffin pan, a pizza cutter, cooking spray or a pastry brush, and various pots and pans. Make sure the phyllo has been thawed in the fridge.

Ingredients:

Samosa stuffing:
4 baking potatoes, scrubbed, and cut into large chunks
1 liter water
1 T vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped (about 2 T ginger)
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
few cracks black pepper (1/4 tsp)
3 T cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cashews, toasted
1/2 tsp chili pepper
juice from 1 lime (or lemon if you have)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300.
2. Roast cashews for about 10 minutes, until golden.
   
3. Boil the potatoes and water, for about 30 minutes, or until soft. Drain all but 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and mash the potatoes while still hot. Add in small amounts of the cooking water if the potatoes are too dry.
   
4. Heat the oil in a large pot, and add the cumin seeds, fry until aromatic.
5. Add in onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapenos and cook 8 minutes. Add in salt, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, and chili pepper.
   
6. Add in peas and saute.
7. Add in mashed potatoes, cracked black pepper, lime juice and combine well. If the potatoes are too sticky add in a little water and mix.
   
8. Taste to adjust for seasoning, and add in cashews. Turn off the heat once combined and set aside if prepping the phyllo.

Phyllo ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
8 phyllo sheets

Directions:

1. Heat butter in a small saucepan, until melted.
2. 
3. Heat oven to 350.
   
4. Lightly grease a muffin pan and set aside.
   
5. Arrange phyllo on a large jelly roll pan and cover with a damp towel to avoid drying out. You will be arranging 4 layers on top of each other. Phyllo is gentle and can break easily, so just be gentle with the moving. As long as the phyllo stays damp it will not dry out and will be easy to work with.
6. On a clean kitchen counter, lay out a single sheet of phyllo dough, and with a pastry brush lightly coat the surface with butter. Repeat with remaining 3 sheets.
7. 
8. Next, take a pizza cutter and score lengthwise about 4 times, creating columns that are about 2-3" wide. Next score widthwise, about 3 times, creating rows that are 2-3" wide. This will leave you with about 12 squares.
9. 
10. Arrange squares in the muffin pan so that a nice mold is created, until all 12 are arranged.
    
11. 
12. 
13. Next fill each with about 2 T of stuffing.
14. 
15. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until golden.
    
16. Serve right from the oven with some cilantro chutney or mango chutney.