Baked Spelt Samosa Hand Pies with Spiced Potato and Peas

Spelt samosa hand pies are baked half-moon pastries filled with spiced potato and peas. The spelt crust stays crisp and lightly nutty, and the filling stays soft.

You bake them instead of frying, so the kitchen stays clean and the batch needs no pot of hot oil. The dough is a simple butter and spelt mix that chills while the filling cooks.

One point to watch. Cool the filling fully and use about 2 tablespoons (45 g) per pie, or the seams split in the oven.

The recipe makes 12 pies in about 90 minutes, most of it hands-off. You can shape them a day ahead and bake when needed.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Baked instead of fried, so the kitchen stays clean
The spelt crust stays crisp and slightly nutty
Shape them a day ahead, or freeze them unbaked
Budget-friendly filling from potatoes, peas, and pantry spices

Fork crimping the edge of a half-moon pie on a floured counter beside rounds of dough and filling

Ingredient Notes

White spelt flour: White spelt gives the lightest crust. Whole grain spelt works for up to half the weight, but add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water.
Yukon Gold potatoes: Waxy potatoes hold their shape when boiled and crush into a soft, slightly chunky filling. Floury potatoes turn pasty.
Cold butter: Keep the butter cold so it stays in small pieces and the crust bakes flaky. Firm plant-based block butter is a direct swap.
Garam masala: Brands vary in heat. Start with 1 tsp, then taste the filling before you cool it and adjust the salt or lemon.
Frozen peas: Use them straight from the freezer. They thaw in the hot filling and stay green and slightly firm.

Two plates of warm pies with mint yogurt and chutney bowls, a linen napkin, and iced tea nearby

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Rest Time 40 mins

Total Time 1 hr 30 mins

Cooking Method: Mixed

Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Courses: snack

Difficulty: Easy

Cooking Temp: 200 C

Servings: 6

Estimated Cost: 0.85

Calories: 413

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary: Contains dairy and eggs, Contains gluten (spelt), Nut-free, Vegetarian

Description

A butter and spelt crust is rolled to 4 mm, filled with cumin-spiced potato and peas, and baked at 200 C / 390 F until deep golden brown. Twelve pies, no frying.

Ingredients

For the spelt dough

300 g white spelt flour (plus extra for dusting)
1/2 tsp fine salt
100 g unsalted butter (cold, cubed)
90 cold water (to 110 ml)

For the filling

450 g Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled, cut into 1.5 cm cubes)
1 tbsp neutral oil
1 onion (small (100 g); finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)
100 g frozen peas
3/4 tsp fine salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped)

To finish

1 large egg (beaten)
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp nigella or sesame seeds

Instructions

Make the spelt dough

1
Whisk the spelt flour and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mix looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces.
2
Stir in 90 ml cold water with a fork. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 110 ml, until the dough just holds when pressed. Knead 3 or 4 times only, then flatten into a disk, wrap, and chill for 40 minutes.

Cook the filling while the dough chills

3
Put the potato cubes in a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan, cover with cold water, and boil for 10 minutes until a knife slides in easily. Drain and let them steam dry for 2 minutes.
4
While the potatoes boil, heat the oil in a 26 cm / 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds until they sizzle. Add the onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and golden at the edges. Stir in the garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and chili flakes for 1 minute until fragrant.
5
Add the potatoes, peas, and 3/4 tsp salt to the skillet. Crush the potatoes lightly, leaving some small chunks, and cook for 3 minutes until the peas are tender. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. Spread the filling on a plate and cool for about 10 minutes, until it no longer feels warm. A warm filling melts the butter in the dough and the seams split in the oven.

Shape and bake

6
Heat the oven to 200 C / 390 F and line two 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch baking sheets with parchment. Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface to 4 mm thick. Cut 10 cm / 4-inch rounds, re-rolling the scraps once, to make 12 rounds.
7
Spoon about 2 tablespoons (45 g) of filling onto one half of each round. Fold the other half over, press out the air, and crimp the edge with a fork. Place 6 pies on each sheet, 3 cm apart.
8
Beat the egg with the milk and brush it over the pies. Sprinkle with the seeds and cut 2 small steam slits in each top. Bake for 25 minutes, swapping and rotating the sheets after 12 minutes, until deep golden brown. Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 413kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 9g45%
Cholesterol 36mg12%
Sodium 520mg22%
Potassium 585mg17%
Total Carbohydrate 52g18%
Dietary Fiber 6g24%
Sugars 3g
Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 650 IU
Vitamin C 10 mg
Calcium 28 mg
Iron 3 mg
Vitamin D 8 IU
Vitamin E 1 mg
Vitamin K 8 mcg
Thiamin 0.3 mg
Riboflavin 0.2 mg
Niacin 3 mg
Vitamin B6 0.3 mg
Folate 45 mcg
Vitamin B12 0.1 mcg
Phosphorus 163 mg
Magnesium 52 mg
Zinc 1.7 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Chill the dough for 40 minutes so the butter firms and the spelt hydrates.
Cool the filling fully before shaping, or the seams split in the oven.
Roll the dough to 4 mm so the base bakes crisp without cracking.
Leave 3 cm between pies on each sheet so the sides brown.
Bake on two racks and swap the sheets after 12 minutes.

Keywords: spelt samosa hand pies, baked samosa pies, spelt hand pies, vegetarian hand pies, potato and pea hand pies

Equipment

two 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch baking sheets
26 cm / 10-inch skillet
3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan
10 cm / 4-inch round cutter
rolling pin
pastry brush

Tips

Add the water a tablespoon at a time, because spelt absorbs it quickly and turns sticky when over-hydrated.
Cut the potatoes into 1.5 cm cubes so they cook in 10 minutes and keep some texture after crushing.
Spread the cooked filling on a plate and wait until it no longer feels warm before you fill the dough.
Press out the air as you fold each round, then crimp the edge with a fork to seal it.
Swap and rotate the baking sheets after 12 minutes so both trays brown evenly.

Variations

Use 150 g cooked chickpeas, lightly crushed, in place of 150 g of the potato for extra protein and a firmer filling.
Replace the butter with 100 g firm plant-based block butter and brush with plant milk for a dairy-free, egg-free version.
Cut 7 cm rounds, fill each with 1 tablespoon, and bake for 18 minutes to make about 20 party-size pies.

Storage and Reheating

Baked spelt samosa hand pies keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The crust softens slightly as it sits, and the filling stays moist.

Reheat them on a baking sheet at 180 C / 350 F for 10 minutes, until the crust is crisp again and the center is hot. The oven restores the crunch, and the microwave does not.

To freeze, shape the pies and freeze them unbaked on a tray for 1 hour, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Brush with egg wash and bake from frozen at 200 C / 390 F for 32 minutes. Shaped, unbaked pies also keep covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Serving Suggestions

Spelt samosa hand pies are best served warm with a cool yogurt and mint dip. A tangy tamarind or mango chutney on the side balances the spice in the filling.

For a light lunch, serve two pies with a cucumber and tomato salad dressed with lemon. The crisp salad keeps the plate fresh against the soft potato.

The pies also pack well once cooled. Wrap them in parchment for lunchboxes or set them out on a board for a casual gathering.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/baked-spelt-samosa-hand-pies/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!