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Authentic Iraqi Cheese Sambusak

These Iraqi cheese sambusak are soft, golden baked pastries made with a yeasted dough and filled with a savory mixture of feta and egg. A comforting Middle Eastern favorite, they’re perfect for brunch, holidays - like Shavuot, or sharing with family and friends.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Rise Time 1 hour
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Iraqi, Jewish, middle eastern
Servings 30 pieces

Ingredients
  

  • 2¼ tsp active dry yeast or one packet
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 2¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup butter melted (1 stick)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 20 oz feta cheese
  • 2 eggs divided

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl, add in yeast, sugar and lukewarm water. Whisk well and let sit about 15 minutes so that the yeast activates.
  • Add in both flours, butter and salt and knead well until everything is incorporated. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
  • Once dough has finished rising, divide into 30 equal balls, about the size of a walnut. Cover again while you make the filling.
  • In a small bowl, add in feta cheese and one egg. Blend well using a fork until the mixture resembles a paste.
  • Preheat oven to 400° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Make sure the oven racks are set to the top third and bottom third of the oven.
  • Take one of the balls of dough and flatten into a 2½ in circle using a rolling pin. Fill with 1 tsp of feta filling and fold to bring the edges together in a half-moon shape. Pinch the edges tightly with your fingers and place on a baking sheet. Repeat steps with remaining dough leaving ½-in of space between each piece.
  • Mix the egg with a tbsp of water and a pinch of salt and use a pastry brush to brush the sambusak with the egg wash.
  • Bake the trays one at a time in the preheated oven. Place it for 10 minutes on the bottom rack and then turn the tray around and bake for another 8-10 minutes on the top rack until lightly golden..
  • Cool and store in an airtight container. Sambusak will stay fresh for several weeks in the freezer. Just warm in a preheated oven for a few minutes to heat them up.

Notes

This recipe was adapted from the book "The Best of Baghdad Cooking" by Daisy Iny.
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