Almond Sanbuseh (Qotab)
A recipe for Almond Sanbuseh (Qotab)! These fried turnovers are filled with a sweet almond mixture and served with a dusting of powdered sugar, pistachios, and rose petals.
Servings 20 Pieces
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup (240 grams) plain, strained yogurt or sour cream
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) ghee or (120 milliliters) oil, plus more oil for frying
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) milk
- 2 1/2 cups (300 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour sifted, plus 1/2 cup (60 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Filling:
- 1 cup (80 grams) unsalted ground almonds or pistachios or walnuts
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon rose water
Dusting and Decoration:
- 1/2 cup (65 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup (40 grams) ground raw pistachios
- 2 tablespoons dried rose petals crushed
Instructions
To make the homemade dough:
- In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks until creamy. Add yogurt, ghee, and milk, and mix for 2 minutes.
- While the machine is running at low speed, gradually blend in 2 1/2 cups (250 grams) of the sifted flour and baking powder.
- Increase speed and knead for about 5 minutes to produce a dough that does not stick to your hands (add more flour if necessary).
- Place the dough in a Ziploc bag, seal, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling:
- In a bowl, combine the ground almonds, sugar, cardamom, and rose water, and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
To assemble:
- Dust a cool, floured surface. Knead the dough for 1 minute and roll it out to a 1/8 inch (3 millimeter) thick sheet.
- Use a cookie cutter or the open end of a glass, dipped in flour, to cut out 3 inch (7.5 centimeter) diameter circles of dough.
- Fill each circle with 2 teapsoons of the almond filling. Fold each circle into a crescent shape and close the edges with your fingers. Use a fork to crimp around the edges of the dough to double seal the filling inside.
- In a medium-sized shallow pot, heat 2 cups (480 milliliters) oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
- Carefully place batches of the sanbusehs in the hot oil (do not crowd the pot) and fry each side for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly, golden brown.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the sanbusehs and place them on a sheet pan, lined with parchment paper.
- When they are cool enough to handle (but still warm), dust them on both sides with confectioners' sugar and sprinkle with pistachios and rose petals.
- Arrange the pastries in a pyramid on a serving platter and serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator in a covered glass container. Nush-e Jan!