How to Make Sanbusaks

These pocket filled pastries are a traditional Jewish holiday treat for Hannukah or the Sabbath. Sesame-seed crusted pastries stuffed with a beef or cheese mixture make great for appetizers for any social occasion and can be frozen to use at a later time. This traditional recipe makes about 60 pastries.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• INGREDIENTS:
• Dough:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature (see directions)
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• Cheese Filling:
• 1-1/2 pounds Muenster cheese, grated
• 3 lightly beaten eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups sesame seeds
• Meat Filling:
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound chopped kosher shoulder beef
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup pine nuts

1. PREPARATION:
   Combine flour and salt. In a separate bowl, cream butter or margarine with a mixer. Slowly combine the flour mixture with the water . When you achieve a dough consistency, knead until into a ball. Set dough ball aside to rest.

2. Cheese Filling:
   Combine Muenster cheese, eggs, baking powder, salt, and sesame seeds until consistent.

3. Meat Filling:
   Saute onion in olive oil about until clear, be careful not to scorch. Brown beef with onions until meat is cooked through. Set aside to cool. When the mixture reaches room temperature add allspice, salt, cinnamon, and pine nuts and mix well.

4. Make Sambusak Pastries:
   Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
   
   Place 1/2 cup sesame seeds on a plate. Pinch off a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll dough into a ball and press one side into the sesame seeds. Keeping the seed side down, roll dough flat into a circle approximately 3 inches in diameter. Add 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of the dough and fold over so edges of dough meet. Press edges of dough together to seal the pocket. Repeat until dough and filling are used up.

5. Bake at 400 degrees F on ungreased baking sheets for 15 to 20 minutes pokets turn until golden.

6. To Freeze Sambusak Pastries line a tray with parchment paper to avoid sticking. Arrange unbaked pastries in a single layer on atray and place in freezer until frozen. Transfer frozen pastry into a heavy freexer bag. Seal the bag removing as much excess air as possible to avoid freezer burn. Place bag in the freezer.

7. Take pastries directly from the freezer and bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 400-degree F 20 to 25 minutes until browned.

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