Sambousek with Spiced Cheese Filling

Name: Sambousek with Spiced Cheese Filling
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt; ¼ cup (55 g) vegetable oil; ½ cup (120 ml) lukewarm water, about 100°F (38°C), plus 1–2 tablespoons if needed; 2 tablespoons (30 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature; 10 ounces (285 g) akkawi cheese, soaked in cold water 2–4 hours to remove salt, drained, squeezed dry and coarsely grated; 4 ounces (115 g) low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely grated; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, patted dry; 2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 2 teaspoons (6 g) nigella seeds; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) ground allspice; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 whole (18 g) large egg yolk, lightly beaten; 1 tablespoon (8 g) all-purpose flour, mixed with 2 tablespoons water to a thin paste; 6 cups (1400 ml) neutral oil such as sunflower or canola, about 2 inches (5 cm) deep in the pot

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, golden half-moon pastries with a tender, blistered shell and a salty, melting akkawi cheese filling brightened with fresh mint, nigella seeds and a pinch of warm spice. A classic Levantine party snack and Ramadan favorite.

Prep: 50 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 1 hr 20 min
Total: 2 hr 30 min
Makes: About 30 sambousek (8 servings of 3–4 each)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the dough
2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
¼ cup (55 g) vegetable oil
½ cup (120 ml) lukewarm water, about 100°F (38°C), plus 1–2 tablespoons if needed
2 tablespoons (30 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature
For the filling
10 ounces (285 g) akkawi cheese, soaked in cold water 2–4 hours to remove salt, drained, squeezed dry and coarsely grated
4 ounces (115 g) low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely grated
¼ cup (10 g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, patted dry
2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons (6 g) nigella seeds
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground allspice
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 whole (18 g) large egg yolk, lightly beaten
For sealing
1 tablespoon (8 g) all-purpose flour, mixed with 2 tablespoons water to a thin paste
For frying
6 cups (1400 ml) neutral oil such as sunflower or canola, about 2 inches (5 cm) deep in the pot

Equipment (9)

Large mixing bowl
Rolling pin
3½-inch (9 cm) round cutter or a drinking glass
Heavy 5-quart (4.7 L) Dutch oven or deep pot
Deep-fry or candy thermometer
Slotted spoon or spider
Baking sheet lined with parchment
Wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels
Fork for crimping

Steps

Before you start

Akkawi cheese is very salty: soak it in cold water for 2–4 hours (changing the water once) or overnight in the fridge, then drain and dry well. Plan for this before you begin.
The dough needs 1 hour of rest, so make it first and prepare the filling while it rests.
Fill and seal all the pastries before you heat the oil so frying goes quickly without interruption.
Have a thermometer ready: oil at 350°F (175°C) gives golden, non-greasy sambousek.

1
Mix the dough
- In a large bowl whisk the flour and salt.
- Add the ¼ cup (55 g) vegetable oil and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until it looks like damp sand.
- Add the yogurt and ½ cup (120 ml) lukewarm water and stir with your hand until a shaggy dough forms.
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Ready when: Dough gathers into a rough ball with no dry flour left in the bowl.
Tip: If it feels dry or crumbly, add water 1 teaspoon at a time, up to 2 tablespoons.
2
Knead and rest
- Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5–6 minutes.
- Shape into a ball, coat lightly with a drop of oil, cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
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Ready when: Dough is smooth, soft and springs back slowly when pressed.
Tip: Do not skip the rest; tight dough shrinks when rolled and tears when filled.
3
Make the filling
- While the dough rests, combine the drained akkawi, mozzarella, mint, parsley, nigella seeds, allspice, pepper and egg yolk in a bowl.
- Mix with a fork until evenly combined and the mixture holds together when squeezed.
- Taste a pinch; add salt only if it tastes bland, as the cheese carries salt.
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Ready when: Filling clumps when pressed and is not wet or dripping.
Tip: Squeeze the grated cheese in a clean towel; wet filling makes the dough soggy and can burst in the oil.
4
Roll out circles
- Make the sealing paste by stirring the 1 tablespoon flour with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl.
- Divide the dough in half and keep one half covered.
- Roll the other half on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
- Cut out rounds with a 3½-inch (9 cm) cutter.
- Re-roll scraps once.
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Ready when: Dough is thin enough to see a faint shadow of your hand through it, but not tearing.
Tip: Keep unused rounds under a towel so their edges don't dry out and fail to seal.
5
Fill and seal
- Place 1 heaped tablespoon (about 15 g) filling in the center of a round.
- Brush the edge lightly with flour paste, fold over into a half-moon, and press out any air.
- Press the edges firmly, then crimp with a fork.
- Place on a parchment-lined tray.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling for about 30 pastries.
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Ready when: Edges are fully pressed flat with no gaps and no filling is on the seam.
Tip: Overfilling or trapped air causes bursting; leave a ¼-inch (6 mm) clean border.
6
Heat the oilOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pour the frying oil into a heavy 5-quart pot to a depth of about 2 inches (5 cm).
- Heat over medium heat until a thermometer reads 350°F (175°C).
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 350°F (175°C); a scrap of dough sizzles steadily and floats.
Tip: Adjust the heat between batches to hold 340–350°F (170–175°C). Too cool makes greasy pastries; too hot browns them before the cheese melts.
7
Fry in batches
- Carefully slide 5–6 sambousek into the oil, without crowding.
- Fry 2–3 minutes per side, turning once with a slotted spoon, until deep golden and blistered.
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Ready when: Deep golden brown with small blisters, floating and crisp when tapped.
Tip: Lower pastries in away from you to avoid splashes, and bring oil back to 350°F (175°C) between batches.
8
Drain and serve
- Lift the sambousek out, let excess oil drip off, and set them on the rack over paper towels.
- Cool for 5 minutes, since the cheese is molten, then serve warm.
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Ready when: Surface looks dry and crisp, not shiny with oil.
Tip: Drain on a rack rather than flat on paper towels so the bottoms stay crisp.

Good to know

Tips

Roll the dough thin; thick dough turns bready and doesn't blister.
Press out all air and seal the edges well, with a clean seam free of cheese, to prevent blowouts.
Test the oil with a dough scrap before the first batch, and fry a single test sambousek to check seasoning and sealing.
For a lighter option, brush with beaten egg and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes until golden, though they will be less blistered.

Make ahead

"Assemble the unfried sambousek, freeze them on a parchment-lined tray until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Fry straight from frozen at 325–340°F (165–170°C) for 4–5 minutes per side. The filling can also be made 1 day ahead and kept covered in the fridge."

Storage & reheating

Best eaten within a few hours. Cool completely, then keep in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 hours or in the fridge up to 3 days. Freeze fried pastries up to 1 month. Reheat from the fridge or freezer on a rack in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 8–12 minutes, until hot and crisp.

Substitutions

akkawi cheese → Halloumi or feta (soaked) plus extra mozzarella. Soak feta or halloumi to reduce salt; use half cheese-of-choice and half mozzarella for stretch.
fresh mint leaves → 1 tablespoon dried mint. Use less because dried mint is more concentrated.
nigella seeds → Sesame seeds. Milder flavor, still adds nutty crunch.
plain whole-milk yogurt → Sour cream or extra 2 tablespoons water. Keeps the dough tender.