A beloved Bahraini dessert traditionally served at happy occasions like Eid and weddings. Don’t wait for a celebration—make them today and turn any day into a festive one!
Ingrediants
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Almonds, finely ground.
- ¾ cup Sugar.
- 3 tsp Ground cardamom.
- 3 ½ tbsp Rose water, with a pinch of saffron threads soaked in it.
- 1 tbsp Flour (or cornstarch) mixed with 1 tbsp water (to act as "glue").
- 12–16 sheets Phyllo pastry (Baklava dough).
- Vegetable oil for deep frying.
Direction
Instructions
- Prepare the Filling: Mix the ground almonds, sugar, cardamom, and saffron-infused rose water thoroughly. Cover and set aside. (Note: You can pulse the almonds and sugar together in an electric grinder for a finer texture).
- Handle the Dough: Work with 3 sheets at a time, keeping the remaining phyllo sheets covered with a damp, wrung-out towel to prevent drying. Take one sheet and fold it over itself twice along its width to create a long, sturdy strip.
- Shape & Stuff: Cut the folded pastry into rectangles (approx. 4cm x 11cm). Place a small teaspoon of filling at one end. Fold the corner over to form a triangle, then continue folding in a zigzag pattern to maintain the triangle shape. Brush the edges with the flour/starch paste and seal tightly.
- Fry: Heat the oil well. Carefully drop the sambousas in and fry until golden brown. Place in a strainer or on paper towels for a few minutes to drain.
- Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature with Arabic coffee. Once completely cooled, they can be stored in an airtight container.
Variations
- Baked Sweet Sambousa: Follow the steps but lightly brush the stuffed sambousas with oil (no need for the starch paste). Arrange on a greased baking tray and bake in a preheated hot oven (200°C / 400°F) until golden, flipping halfway through (about 5–6 minutes per side). Some prefer to brush each phyllo sheet with melted butter or oil before cutting and stuffing.
- Guras Al-Sheikh (The Sheikh’s Discs): Instead of the triangle fold, spread the filling across the pastry rectangle. Fold both ends toward the middle and seal. Then, fold the resulting small rectangle toward the center again and seal the edges. Fry these rectangular "discs" on both sides in a flat pan until crispy.
