Spinach And Potato Phyllo Samosas

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces small red potatoes, peeled
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 small jalapeno chiles, chopped finely (or serrano chilies)
• 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated finely
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb fresh spinach, coarse stems discarded and leaves washed and drained (3 cups packed)
• 10 phyllo pastry sheets, thawed if frozen, 17-inch x 12-inch in size
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• fresh mint sprig, to garnish
• mint chutney, to serve

Recipe

• 1 stack the thawed phyllo pastry between 2 sheets of waxed paper, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and set aside.
• 2 simmer the potatoes in salted water until just tender, about 12 minutes, then drain and cut into 1/4-inch cubes.
• 3 set the potatoes aside.
• 4 heat a heavy skillet over moderate heat, and then add the fennel seeds, cumin, and turmeric.
• 5 dry roast the spices for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, and taking care not to burn them.
• 6 when the spices are fragrant and darker in colour, add the oil, onion, chilies, gingerroot, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened.
• 7 now add the potatoes and spinach to the skillet and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until spinach is wilted but still bright green, about 2 minutes.
• 8 season to your taste with salt and pepper, then set aside to cool.
• 9 heat oven to 400f and lightly grease a baking sheet.
• 10 to assemble samosas, place a sheet of phyllo dough on a flat surface with the long side facing you, and brush lightly with melted butter.
• 11 top with a second phyllo sheet and brush that lightly with butter also.
• 12 cut the stacked phyllo crosswise into 5 strips, each approximately 12" by 3 1/2" inches.
• 13 put 1 heaping teaspoon of potato/spinach filling near one corner of each strip.
• 14 fold the corner of phyllo over to enclose filling and form a triangle.
• 15 continue folding the pastry strip, maintaining a triangle shape.
• 16 place samosa, seam side down, on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
• 17 continue making the samosas with the remaining phyllo and filling in the same manner.
• 18 you can prepare the samosas up to this point, six hours ahead of cooking - keep them covered, in the refrigerator.
• 19 bake the samosas in middle of oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• 20 garnish samosas with mint and serve warm with mint chutney.