Lamb & Watercress Samosas

Samosas make a perfect appetiser, light supper or even a snack. Here the minced lamb is cooked with a rich, garlicky watercress purée that is also used as a sauce for serving.

Makes 10 samosas

Preparation 25  - 30 minutes for lamb filling; 30 minutes to shape pastries | Cooking 12- 15 minutes

Ingredients:

For the watercress sauce:

• sunflower oil

• 2 onions, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, finely diced

• 400g double cream

• 400g watercress

• Salt and pepper

For the samosas:

• 400g lamb mince

• 1 packet filo (10 leaves)

• 25g butter, melted, for brushing

• dried watercress powder or black sesame seeds, for sprinkling

 Method:

1. To make the watercress sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the onions and cook for around 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Pour in the cream and simmer until it reduces by about half.

2. Add the fresh watercress, cover and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, put the lid on and leave for a further 10 minutes. Purée the watercress mixture using a blender or food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Next heat a little more sunflower oil in a pan and brown the lamb mince quickly all over. Add three-quarters of the watercress sauce (keep the rest for serving) and cook gently for 5 minutes. Leave to cool completely.

4. To shape the samosas, lay the pastry on a work surface and fill each sheet, one at a time, keeping the other sheets under a damp tea towel so that they don’t dry out.

5. Brush one sheet with melted butter and cut in half lengthways. Put one half on top of the other to give a double layer of pastry. Put a spoonful of filling towards the top right corner of the strip and fold the left corner over to make a triangle, pressing the edges together.

6. Repeat this triangular folding all the way down the strip until you are at the end of the pastry and all the edges are sealed. Trim away any excess pastry. Brush the top of the samosa with butter and sprinkle with dried watercress powder or black sesame seeds.

7. Repeat with the remaining filling and pastry to give 10 samosas. You can bake them straight away or chill the uncooked pastries in the fridge until you are ready.

8. Heat the oven to Gas 6/200C and bake the samosas on a baking sheet for 10-12 minutes or until gently browned. Serve with the remaining watercress sauce and some chutney, if liked.

Recipe by Lizzie Crow | Photography by Lara Jane Thorpe