Ready-made dough for baking samosas?

[nakedzombieforce]

I'm thinking of making samosas this weekend but I don't want to deal with sprays of hot flying oil, hence the baking. I'm also horrible with homemade baked goods (plus we're out of flour).

What are the best ready-made doughs and sheets (phyllo, puff, spring roll, etc.) you've had experience with for making samosas or similar foods? How did the texture come out, and how hot/long did you bake them?

Thanks!

[alkapal]

naked z, check this recipe: samosa taquitos! talk about fun fusion cooking!
http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/showrecipe.aspx?rid=44933

or here is a "pouch" treatment with curried beef samosas: http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/showrecipe.aspx?rid=44933

this easy veggie samosas recipe uses frozen puff pastry, thawed: http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/showrecipe.aspx?rid=44933

and what a cool idea: samosa pot pie!!! http://sweetvinegar.blogspot.com/2008/04/samosa-pot-pie.html
(says the crust is really easy

)

another samosa recipe using the pillsbury crust: http://books.google.com/books?id=y9kG...

[todao]

These folks offer a recipe and some recommendations for substitutes:

http://www.samosa-recipe.com/Samosa_P...

[another_adam]

I used to use wonton wrappers, but I find they're not at all right if you don't deep fry them. I've had much better luck once I switched to frozen empanada wrappers, rolled out a bit thinner, wrapped, brushed with oil, and baked (I only have experience with the Goya brand frozen wrappers, which are the only kind we can get in Boston...) I bake at a high temperature (like 425), they come out nice and browned and crispy.

[alkapal]

naked zombie, this rolling out a bit thinner and oiling on the outside (brush a little ghee or veg oil?) on the pillsbury crescent rolls could give them a crispier texture.

[Miss Needle]

I like spring roll skins. They're light and crispy -- not as heavy as egg roll wrappers but not as flaky as phyllo. It's kind of in between. I brush or spray on some oil and bake.

[alkapal]

a lebanese friend uses pillsbury refrigerated crescent rolls to make quick meat pies or spinach pies. along these lines for technique: http://www.recipezaar.com/77984 (which looks like a great recipe for artichoke cheese appetizer, in its own right).

[nakedzombieforce]

Oh, this is a really good idea too (that I didn't think of at all!). I think I'll go with this because I know how the refrigerated crescent rolls taste (they are really delicious) and it saves me the guesswork out of using another type of dough.

Thanks!!

[alkapal]

naked z, i used the crescent rolls to make spinach pies yesterday. dough is too sweet, imo. plus, too bready. i will use the pillsbury refrigerated pie crust dough next time (same as i use for quiche). ( comes two rolls to a box, individually wrapped in plastic). http://www.pillsbury.com/products/pie...

[yimster]

Won ton skin will work just fine. If you want a large samosas you can use spring rolls wrapper but in the past won ton skin work just fine. If there is a choice on thickness get the medium one since you are baking them.

[cookingodyssey]

I was just in a Indian cooking class and we used wonton wrappers for mini-samosas. Instead of the traditional triangle shape, We squeezed each on into a little purse. They held together well.

[Pei]

My Indian friend says her mom's friends cheat by using flour tortillas. Pick the size you want, slice a round in half, and use a little flour+water paste to seal the edges after you place your filling. Then deep fry. If you're baking, I would suggest brushing with a litle oil or butter to get that crispy oily exterior.

[oakjoan]

Wow! This thread is filled with great ideas! Thanks a lot to all.

It's a cold and foggy day today here in the SF Bay Area, and samosas and lentil soup sound great.

And always remember, as Mark Twain said (repeat after me): "The coldest winter I ever spent was one summer in San Francisco."

[Luna4]

I like making samosas with phyllo dough. I know it's not traditional, but I like to bake them to keep them healthier, plus I like the flakiness of the phyllo. I did not use this for a filling recipe, but I did use their strategy for how to work with/bake them: http://www.tastyandmeatless.com/phyll...

Hope this helps!

[nakedzombieforce]

Ooh, this sounds good (not so much the filling, but the pastry). Do you know if I can get them at common grocers, like Vons/Ralphs?

[Luna4]

Phyllo dough should be available in any typical grocery store in the frozen food section. We've never had a problem getting it. Good luck!

[nakedzombieforce]

Thanks! Saves me a farther trip to an ethnic grocer.