DUSHANBE SAMBUSA WITH CHICKPEA, SPINACH AND MINT

Flaky and buttery samsa, central Asia’s beloved turnovers, are known in Tajikistan as sambusa. Elsewhere in the region fillings are typically beef, lamb, pumpkin, spinach or potatoes, but in Dushanbe there are chickpea ones and in the springtime, herb-filled variations. This recipe combines the two. Samsa, or sambusa, are always eaten with green tea, this is especially the case if they’re lamb, as tea cuts through the fat.

MAKES 15 SAMSA

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1 tsp dill seeds (optional)

1 x 400g/14oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

1 x 320g/11oz packet of puff pastry 3 tbsp mint leaves, roughly chopped Handful of spinach

1 tsp fine sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 small egg, beaten

1 tsp ground cumin

■ Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and line a large baking tray (or two smaller trays) with greaseproof paper.

■ Into a food processor add the onion, and pulse a few times, then add 100g/3oz of chickpeas, the mint and spinach, and pulse so it comes together. Put the mixture into a large bowl and mix in the salt, pepper, spices, dill seeds, if using, and the remaining unpulsed chickpeas.

■ Lightly flour the work surface and the pastry, and roll it out to 37 x 28cm / 14in x 8in.

■ Using an 8cm/3in cutter, stamp out 15 rounds, then put a teaspoon of the filling in the middle of each one and bring up the edges to create a triangle shape.

■ Press to seal, creating a samosa-style triangle. Repeat with the remaining pastry.

■ Place on the baking tray seam-side down. Brush each one with the egg wash and scatter over the black sesame seeds, or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a few grindings of black pepper, if you like.

■ Bake for 15 minutes, then when the pastry has fully risen, lower the oven temperature to its lowest setting and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, until the layers are dry and crispy.

OLA O SMIT > Dushanbe Sambusa