Baked Lentil Samosas

These were the perfect start to the Indian inspiration dinner. The great thing about these is that you can do the dough and the filling ahead of time and let them rest in the refrigerator. You can also assemble the samosas and freeze them until when you're ready to bake them. The filling I use here is a thick lentil curry, but any thick curry will do. Serve with a chutney or Greek yogurt spiced up with curry powder. This recipe comes from How to cook everything vegetarian by Mark Bittman.


Baked Lentil Samosas
Ingredients

Filling:
1 c. dried lentils (any kind)
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 small onion
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 Tbs. minced garlic
2 Tbs. peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 c. vegetable stock or water
2 Tbs. garam masala or curry powder

Dough:
2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 Tbs. cold butter
2 Tbs. yogurt

1. Put the oil in a deep skillet or medium pot over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, and ginger and keep cooking and stirring until all the vegetables start to wilt and are fragrant, another 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the lentils, stock, and garam masala to the pan with enough water to cover the lentils by about 1/2 inch. Turn the heat to high. When the mixture begins to boil, lower the heat so it bubbles gently.
4. Cover and cook, stirring every so often, until the lentils and vegetables are very soft, about 45 minutes or more. Add stock or water during cooking only if needed to keep the lentils from scorching. The lentils should be fairly stiff and dry when they're done; if not, remove the lid, turn up the heat a bit, and let some of the liquid bubble away. Taste, adjust seasoning and set aside to cool.
5. While the lentils are cooking, combine the flour with a large pinch of salt, the butter, and the yogurt in a food processor; turn on the machine and a few seconds later, add about 1/2 cup of water. Let the machine run, adding a little more water if necessary, until a dough ball forms.
6. Knead the dough for a moment by hand, adding a little more flour if necessary, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a couple of baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Sprinkle a work surface with flour , then divide the dough into quarters. Cover 3 of the pieces and divide the fourth into 6 pieces; roll each piece into a round ball. Roll each ball out to a 3-inch diameter. When you have rolled out the first six, put about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each. Brush the rim with a little water, then fold over and seal.
8. Put the samosas--about 1 inch apart--on the prepared baking sheets. Keep covered with plastic wrap while you repeat with the remaining dough. Bake the samosas until golden brown, turning as needed, about 30 minutes, and serve hot.