Potato Samosas (Aloo Pies)
Photo: Kanikatwl, CC BY-SA 4.0
Aloo pies are fried, potato-filled pastries that carry the samosa from India into Caribbean kitchens. The dough is quick, just flour, baking powder, salt and water, and needs only a short rest. The filling gets its character from cumin, which tastes noticeably deeper if you toast the whole seeds in a dry skillet first. Chile pepper keeps the mild potato lively, and the pies are best eaten hot from the fryer.
Instructions
Stir the flour, baking powder, salt and water together, then knead lightly until you have a smooth dough. Cover it with a bowl or a damp cloth and let it rest while you make the filling.
Boil the potatoes in salted water until a knife slides in easily. Peel them and mash them well.
If you are using whole cumin, toast it in a dry skillet for a few minutes until it smells fragrant. Season the mashed potatoes with salt, black pepper, chile pepper and the cumin, adjusting to taste.
Divide the rested dough into 9 balls, called loyah. Flatten each one into a circle about 10 cm (4 inches) across and put some potato filling in the middle.
Wet one edge of the circle with water, fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together so the potato is fully enclosed. Smaller loyah will give you 12 medium-sized pies instead of 9.
Deep fry the pies in oil until they are golden brown. Lift them out and drain them on brown paper or a kitchen towel.
Make it personal.
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