Like with many dishes, sembusek starts off somewhere as a simple idea and evolves into many directions, changing shape and taste.
What is sembusek?
Sembusek is made of thinly rolled dough, covered with a mixture containing meat and then covered with the same dough, folding it over and baking it in the oven.
Jump to RecipeThe origins and etymology
The history of this dish is a mixed one and the name itself causes a bit of a confusion, much like kadayıf did. The origins of börek and lahmacun are extensively discussed in their respective entries here so we can follow along the sembusek trail here.
Medieval cooks wanted to spice up their bread dough by adding meat mixtures, making the lahmacun a thing. They baked these and they made for a delicious entree, side dish or even main dish depending on size. But not everyone had an oven at their disposal so the dough was folded and fried. The availability of fat and a pot made this a popular street food and was called sanbusak, coming from the Persian “sanbusa” meaning triangular. It is said that this dish, both baked and fried are the forerunners of the “empanada” as well as the Italian “calzone”. (1)
The first written recipe dates back to the 9th century Iraq, spreading from there around the world. The Anonymous 13th century Andalusian cookbook had a recipe for “Sanbusak” (2) and India in the 12th century saw the fried version of the dish, calling it “samosa.” (1) But it was referred to in different ways in India as well. The Moroccan Ibn Battuta visited the court of the Sultan of Delhi in the 14th century and observed the baked version being served as a favored dish, which was called “samusak” and said that the Middle Eastern version of the dish was known as “sambusak”. (3)
As much as this dish comes from the word triangle, it is easier to form a round shape from a bit of dough bringing about the halfmoon-shaped version. (1)
In the 13th century Rumi mentioned the sanbusa as well, though referring to the fried version of the dish. (4)
This mixing of the cultures is still kept alive in the southeastern Turkish province of Mardin where sembusek is baked in the oven like in the medieval days. This dish even got added to the Turkish Patent and Trademark registry. (5)
The recipe
Making this at home is nowadays an easy feat if you have enough time on your hands and an oven.
Sembusek: The forerunner of samosa, filled meat-dough delicacy
Ingredients
- 500 gr minced lamb
- 2 onions
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 kg flour
- 500 ml water
- 3 eggs
- salt
Instructions
- Gradually add water to the flour and a pinch of salt and knead it until you achieve a soft but non-sticking dough.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes.
- For the filling, chop the parsley and onions finely and knead that together with the meat, black pepper, red pepper flakes and tomato paste.
- Add salt depending on your taste.
- Take a small piece of the dough and roll it out thinly until it achieves a size of about 15-18cm.
- Cover half of the dough with the meat mixture and close the dough with the other, non-covered side of the dough.
- Pinch together the doughs to close them up.
- Prepare all of them, having the prepared ones rest for a bit in the mean time.
- Whisk the eggs and brush the dough pieces with it and bake it at 200 degrees Celsius until the dough gets golden brown.
- Serve hot or at least warm.
