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Nadiya Hussain’s samsas (sweet nutty samosas)

Name: Nadiya Hussain’s samsas (sweet nutty samosas)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: Makes 7
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: For the filling; 2 medium sweet potatoes; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; Finely grated zest and juice 1 orange; 100g walnuts, finely chopped; For the pastry; 150g unsalted butter; 270g pack filo pastry (7 sheets); 100g pistachios, finely chopped; For the syrup; 150g caster sugar; For the strawberry coulis; 227g strawberries (frozen and defrosted if not in season); 100g icing sugar; Squeeze lemon juice

By: Nadiya Hussain

Published: 13 Feb 25
Updated: 12 Mar 25

Nadiya Hussain’s samsas (sweet nutty samosas)

“Samsa is a traditional dish often made during Ramadan,” says cookbook author and TV star, Nadiya Hussain. “Samsas are not like the samosas you usually find, filled with spiced savoury meat – these are stuffed with nuts, sweet potato, orange and cinnamon and doused in sweet syrup.I like to serve mine with a fruity coulis.”

Discover more delicious nibbles in our snack recipes collection.

Recipe taken from Nadiya’s new cookbook Rooza (Penguin Books £25) and tested by delicious.

Easy
February 2025

Test kitchen approved

Makes 7
Prep time 20 min. Cook time 35 min

Discover more delicious nibbles in our snack recipes collection.

Recipe taken from Nadiya’s new cookbook Rooza (Penguin Books £25) and tested by delicious.

Vegetarian

Nutrition: Per samsa (with coulis)

Calories: 609kcals
Fat: 37g (14g saturated)
Protein: 9.2g
Carbohydrates: 56g (30g sugars)
Fibre: 7.1g
Salt: 0.4g

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Ingredients

For the filling

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Finely grated zest and juice 1 orange
100g walnuts, finely chopped

For the pastry

150g unsalted butter
270g pack filo pastry (7 sheets)
100g pistachios, finely chopped

For the syrup

150g caster sugar

For the strawberry coulis

227g strawberries (frozen and defrosted if not in season)
100g icing sugar
Squeeze lemon juice

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Method

Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, then put on a plate and microwave on high for 10 minutes until very soft (see Know-how).
Leave to cool until they can be handled, then halve, scoop out all the flesh and put in a bowl. Mash to a smooth paste with the cinnamon, orange zest (keep the juice for the syrup) and walnuts. Set aside.
For the pastry, melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. As soon as it starts to bubble and brown flecks appear, you have browned the butter and it’s ready. Take off the heat.

Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5 and have an oven tray ready. Cut the filo sheets in half lengthways to create 14 strips, leaving the sheets under a clean damp tea towel when you’re not working with them.
Brush the butter over 2 filo sheets, then lay one on top of the other. Lay the strip sideways, take a dollop of the filling (one seventh of it) and put it at the bottom of one end of the strip. Fold the top corner over to create a triangle, encasing the filling. Now take the filled triangle and fold it over again. Keep going until you reach the end and have a fully encased triangle. Make the other 6 parcels in the same way, then brush them all over with the leftover butter. Put on the oven tray and bake for 20 minutes.
Make the syrup by pouring the reserved orange juice into a pan with 100ml water and the caster sugar. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer until the syrup is thick and golden.
Take the triangles out of the oven and, using tongs, dip them straight into the syrup so they’re completely coated, then sprinkle with the pistachios and set aside.
For the strawberry coulis, put the strawberries, icing sugar and lemon juice in a food processor and blend. Serve with the samsas as a dip or drizzle it over them.