Foodie Fridays: Samosa Pie

Inspired by my recent success with a recipe for chicken curry, I decided to try my hand at another Indian food favorite, the samosa.  My preferred type has a vegetarian pea-and-potato filling, and I began a search for recipes with this filling that were baked rather than fried, as I truly dislike deep-frying foods.  But then I came upon this recipe for Samosa Pie.  Lazy cook that I am, I decided that a samosa recipe in which all of the ingredients are baked in one dish, thereby avoiding the tedious step of shaping, stuffing, and sealing individual samosas in the traditional way, was a much better option!  Chicken has been added in the original recipe, but if you want the vegetarian option simply leave it out, as there is plenty of filling.  While the Samosa Pie is meant to be eaten as a main dish, you could also plate smaller portions as an appetizer, the way samosas are usually served.  If you like, offer some mango or peach chutney on the side.  I found this dish to have the same delicious flavor as traditional samosas, and I did not miss the fried pastry at all.  Perhaps in the fall I will feel motivated to make more authentic individual samosas, but for the summer months I will stick with this easy version.

Samosa Pie

3 T. butter (can use canola oil to replace up to half of the butter)
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. garam masala and/or curry powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. water
1 1/2 lbs. potatoes, cooked and diced*
8 oz. cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1 1/2 C. frozen peas, thawed
1/2 C. chopped fresh cilantro
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed and unfolded

Heat the butter over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until soft, then add the garlic and cook one minute longer.  Stir in the spices and some of the water if the mixture seems dry.  Remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients in the order listed, stirring well after each addition with more water as needed.  Add the rest of the water and stir to make sure all of the ingredients are coated with the spices. Taste to adjust the seasonings.

Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole or baking dish.  Roll out the puff pastry if necessary to fit the dish and place over the top.  Cut some slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown.  Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.  Serves 6 as a main dish, or 12 as an appetizer.

*If Russet potatoes are used, peel them; otherwise leave the skins on.

Note: The first time I made this pie I used leftover sweet potatoes and parsley instead of white potatoes and cilantro, and it was equally good (depending on the moistness of the sweet potatoes, you may need to reduce the amount of water added).