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1
Make & Rest the Dough
30 Mins
Room temperature, ~21°C (70°F)
Put the flour in a large bowl, add the warm water, vegetable oil and 5 g of the salt, and mix into a shaggy dough. Knead on a clean surface for 5 minutes until firm and smooth, then cover with a damp cloth and rest for 25 minutes. The rest relaxes the gluten so the dough rolls out thin without springing back.
The dough should feel firm, not soft — a soft dough tears when rolled thin.
Done when: Smooth, firm dough that holds its shape when pressed.
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2
Mix the Lamb Filling
10 Mins
Room temperature, ~21°C (70°F)
In a bowl, combine the chopped lamb, lamb tail fat, diced onion, ground cumin, black pepper and the remaining 4 g of salt. Mix with your hands until the onion and spices are evenly spread through the meat, then set aside. Do not cook the filling — it cooks inside the pastry, and the onion keeps it juicy.
Chop the lamb by hand into small cubes; minced meat turns dense and dry in samsa.
Done when: Evenly mixed filling with visible cubes of lamb and onion.
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3
Roll, Butter & Layer the Pastry
10 Mins
Room temperature, ~21°C (70°F)
Roll the rested dough out on a lightly floured surface into a large thin sheet, about 2 mm thick. Brush the whole surface with the melted butter, then fold the sheet in thirds like a letter, brush again, and fold once more. This buttered layering is what makes the crust flake apart when baked.
Roll from the centre outward and turn the sheet often so it stays even and does not stick.
Done when: A thin, even, butter-brushed folded sheet.
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4
Fill & Shape the Squares
10 Mins
Room temperature, ~21°C (70°F)
Cut the folded pastry into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a thin square about 12 cm across. Spoon about 2 heaped tablespoons of filling into the centre of each square, bring the four corners up to meet in the middle, and pinch firmly to seal. Turn each parcel seam-side down and press gently into a plump square.
Do not overfill — a bursting seam lets the juices escape and the base goes soggy.
Done when: Neat sealed squares with no filling showing at the seams.
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5
Bake Until Golden & Blistered
25 Mins
220°C (425°F)
Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line a baking tray with parchment. Place the samsa seam-side down with space between them, brush the tops with the beaten egg, and scatter over the sesame seeds. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until deep golden with blistered, flaky spots and the lamb inside reaches 71°C (160°F).
A hot oven is essential — it puffs the buttered layers before the filling can soak the pastry.
Done when: Deep golden tops with dark blistered spots; filling steaming hot at 71°C (160°F) inside.
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6
Rest Briefly & Serve
5 Mins
Serve hot, above 63°C (145°F)
Rest the samsa on the tray for 5 minutes so the juices settle and the crust stays crisp. Serve hot, two per person, with achichuk salad and green tea.
Cutting into one too soon lets the steam out and dries the filling.
Done when: Hot through, crisp outside, juicy inside.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the samsa piled on a plate, still warm from the oven, with a bowl of achichuk salad and a pot of green tea — the way they are eaten at Uzbek bazaars.
Uzbekistan
2h 25m
Spain
Vietnam