It’s pastry week! I have never really thought about what kind of pastry samosas were made from until I heard that they were the signature challenge on bake off. I rarely make any form of filo type pastry for the pure fact that the supermarket bought stuff is so much easier, any other type of pastry I always make myself. I think my favourite has to be puff pastry, homemade is so worth it with the fluffy layers. This years pastry week I think has been quite different from previous years with a large emphasis on savoury baking, which I love but typically if I want to bake something I pick sweet as it seems as more of a treat! I made up the filling of my samosas as it was just what I fancied! I was so  pleased with how they turned out and the uni girls all agree that they are amazing.

Ingredients for filling 

• 1 1/2 Medium Sweet Potatoes (Sorry I forgot to weigh them!)
• 3 handfuls of spinach
• 2 Tbsp of Garam Masala
• 1 tsp of Ground Coriander
• 1/2 tsp of Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp of Hot chill powder
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 2cm of Fresh Ginger

Ingredients for Pastry 

• 4 Tbsp of oil or Ghee
• 5-6 Tbsp of Water
• 250g Plain Flour
• Pinch of Salt

Method 

1. Firstly peel and chop the sweet potato into 2cm cubes and boil in water in a small saucepan for about 20 minutes until soft.
2. Whilst the potato is cooking make the pastry by combing all the ingredients in a large bowl expect the water, if using ghee rub it in with your fingers tips first.
3. Add the water slowly to the pastry until it comes together to form a rough dough.
4. Lightly knead the pastry until its smooth, then wrap and leave to rest whilst you make the filling. Approx 20-30mins.
5. Once the potato is cooked, drain and put to one side to cool.
6. Wilt the spinach in the saucepan until soft and put to one side with the potato.
7. Crush the garlic and grate the ginger into a large bowl along with all the spices. Add the potato and spinach and mix well together.
8. Roll out the dough until 3mm thick. Using a 15cm cutter cut out  6 circles, then halve.
   

   
9. Brush water along the straight edge and fold in half and seal to create a triangle pouch. Fill the pouches as you go with a little filling, ensuring it doesn’t burst the seams.
10. Brush water along the top edge and seal up and place on rack or plate and continue to fill the rest fo the samosas.
11. Heat the oil until when a little of the pastry is dropped in it rises to the top. Drop the samosas in gently down the side of the pan a couple at a time otherwise it reduces the temperature of the oil too much.
12. Flip the samosas so they are cooked on both sides, they should be a nice golden brown.