Authentic Sambusa Dough

Step 1: Mix all ingredients together and knead until smooth. Dough should be soft but not sticky where doughis just moistened and comes together in a ball. You may need to add more water or flour to achieve the right consistency.

Step 2: Split the dough into equal size balls. Below are two different methods for rolling out the dough, one is using a pasta machine roller and the other is by hand. If you are using a dough machine, split them into 8 small balls and if you are going to work them by hand split the dough into 4-6 larger balls, according to the size baking pan you are going to use. Let the dough relax for about 30 minutes.

For the first method (Using Pasta dough machine):

Step 3: Take one of the small dough balls and coat it in flour. Turn on the dough machine and put the dough through on the thickest setting (On some dough machines, this setting is listed as 1).

Step 4: Then change the setting to the next thickest setting, (number 2), and roll the dough through it again.

Step 5: At this point, fold in both sides of dough in order to get the dough a bit more narrow and to fit better. Then place the dough back through settings number 1 and 2, and finally 3 and 4.

Step 6: If the dough becomes too long or thin for you to work with, you can cut it into 2 or 3 pieces. Also continue to coat the dough with flour while working with it so that it doesn’t stick to the machine.

Step 7: Cut the dough into 2 or 3 rectangle shaped pieces, about the right size for sambusa wrappers.

Step 8: Trim the ends if they are uneven. Coat the dough very well with flour and place them on a baking sheet stacked about 3 high. (It’s very important to make sure they are coated well with flour otherwise they will stick to each other and become unworkable).

Step 9: Place these in a 200 F oven for about 4-5 minutes, or until the dough is partially dry and a bit more firm, being CAREFUL not to dry it too much so that it won't crack, but firm enough so it holds its shape when you are ready to work with it. The point is not to cook the dough, but just to get it firm and sturdy.

For the second method (Working it by Hand):

Step 10: Take one of the large dough balls and coat it in flour.

Step 11: Press the dough into a large circle on the table and then pick it up and stretch it between two fists gently until it grows larger.

Step 12: Stretch the dough over the bottom of a flat baking sheet, trying your best to keep it even in thickness.

Step 13: Let the dough relax for 5 minutes to prevent it from shrinking, then cut it into rectangle shapes, trimming off any excess to keep them as rectangle shapes.

Step 14: Place the cut-outs on cookie sheets (not stacked) into a preheated 200-degree F oven for about 4-5 minutes, or until the dough is partially dry and a bit more firm, being CAREFUL not to dry it too much so that it won't crack, but firm enough so it holds its shape when you are ready to work with it. The point is not to cook the dough, but just to get it firm and sturdy.

Step 15: Once you are done with the sambusa dough, coat well with flour and stack and place in plastic wrap for storage. You can leave it for a few days in the fridge or longer in the freezer until you are ready to use it.

To fold into triangles

Step 16: Once you are ready to add the filling of your choice, ready up the Sambusa dough for cooking.

Step 17: Cut a 60 degree angle on one end. Then place the filling down in the shape of an equilateral triangle.

Step 18: Carefully fold the triangle over, so that whatever side was pointing down is now pointing up. Continue this movement until you reach the end of the dough. Trim off any excess and if the end is too dry you can add a bit of water or water/flour mix to help it stick together so it doesn’t come apart during the frying.

Step 19: Makes approximately 48 sambusas.