Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g fine semolina flour
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 100 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 30 ml olive oil
- 120 ml warm water, approximately 40°C (105°F)
Cheese Filling
- 150 g feta cheese, crumbled and drained thoroughly
- 100 g kashkaval cheese, finely grated
- 50 g ricotta cheese, whole milk, strained
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 g nigella seeds
- 1 g ground black pepper
Assembly and Finish
- 1 egg, lightly beaten for egg wash
- 15 ml water
- 30 g white sesame seeds
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 12 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) with racks set in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, fine semolina flour, and fine sea salt in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined.
Pour the melted unsalted butter, olive oil, and warm water into the dry ingredients, stirring with a silicone spatula until a cohesive, shaggy dough forms.
Knead the dough on a clean, un-floured surface for 3 minutes until smooth, supple, and elastic.
Wrap the dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax the gluten network.
Combine the crumbled feta cheese, grated kashkaval cheese, ricotta cheese, beaten egg, nigella seeds, and ground black pepper in a medium mixing bowl, mashing with a fork until thoroughly integrated.
Whisk the remaining egg and water together in a small bowl until completely smooth to create the egg wash.
Unwrap the rested dough, divide it in half, and roll one portion out on an un-floured work surface using a rolling pin until it is 2 millimeters thick.
Cut rounds from the rolled dough using an 8 cm round cookie cutter, setting the cut circles aside and gathering dough scraps under plastic wrap to re-roll once.
Place 15 grams of the cheese filling directly into the center of each cut dough round, keeping the surrounding edges clean.
Fold each round in half over the cheese to form a crescent, pressing the air out gently from the pocket, and crimp the curved perimeter firmly with the tines of a fork to form a secure seal.
Arrange the sealed crescents onto the prepared baking sheets spaced 3 cm apart, brush the tops generously with egg wash using a pastry brush, and sprinkle heavily with white sesame seeds.
Bake in the preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) for 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the sheets front-to-back halfway through, until the crust is deep golden brown and the cheese filling registers at least 71°C (160°F) on an instant-read food thermometer.
Transfer the baked sambusak from the baking sheets to a wire cooling rack and rest for 15 minutes to allow the cheese filling to settle before serving warm.
Chef's Notes
- Fine durum semolina flour (semolina rimacinata) provides a crisp, short texture that stays flaky without becoming tough or gummy.
- For the cleanest crimp, chill the assembled pastries on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before applying egg wash and baking.
- To prepare ahead for Hanukkah or parties, assemble and freeze the pastries unbaked on a sheet pan, then bake straight from frozen at 190°C (375°F) for 25 to 27 minutes until the internal egg-and-cheese filling reaches 71°C (160°F).
- Thoroughly drain wet cheeses like ricotta and feta in a fine strainer or squeeze with cheesecloth; excess whey will turn into steam and cause the pastry pockets to burst.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container separated by sheets of parchment paper.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze unbaked or baked pastries in a single layer on a tray until solid, then transfer to a sealed freezer bag.
Reheating: Reheat refrigerated or thawed pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for 8 to 10 minutes until heated through to an internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F).
Troubleshooting
Cheese filling leaks out through the seam during baking
Cause: The pastry edge was contaminated with fat or filling before sealing, or air was trapped inside the pocket
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked; scrape away escaped browned cheese from the baking sheet before serving
Prevention: Keep the outer perimeter free of moisture or cheese, press out excess air bubbles, and crimp firmly with the fork
Dough pulls back aggressively and is difficult to roll out thinly
Cause: The gluten in the flour and semolina has not rested sufficiently after kneading
Fix: Cover the resistant dough with plastic wrap and rest undisturbed for an extra 10 to 15 minutes before rolling again
Prevention: Ensure the dough rests wrapped for the full 30 minutes at room temperature
Pastry bottoms are pale and soggy instead of crisp
Cause: The baking sheet was placed too close to the top heating element or the oven temperature was too low
Fix: Transfer the under-browned baking sheet to the lowest oven rack for 3 to 4 minutes to crisp the bases
Prevention: Bake on the lower and middle racks at a verified 190°C (375°F) on heavy baking sheets
Cultural Context
Sambusak descends from the ancient Persian sanbosag and represents the culinary ancestor of both the Indian samosa and the Iberian empanada. Within Sephardic, Iraqi, and Syrian Jewish heritage, savory cheese-filled pastries are deeply tied to Hanukkah and Shavuot feasts, honoring the tradition of consuming dairy foods to celebrate the biblical heroine Judith. Topped with sesame seeds, these crescent turnovers remain an enduring symbol of hospitality across Middle Eastern and Central Asian diaspora communities.
