Sambousk Mezze

FEATURING MONJAY MEZZA’S SAMBOUSK

Not much needs to be done to enjoy our products, Break open a packet of your favourite crackers or cut a carrot into batons and dip away. Or simply arrange our delicious finger foods on a platter and watch them crowd around. But the potential of our range is so much more, and we want to prove it. So we've created our very own recipe page to show you the versatility of our products. Dips to marinate or bake with, finger food transformed into main meals - the limit is your imagination.

If it inspires poetry, you know it must be good. Records of smabousk stretch back to 10^th century Persia, where it’s mentioned in a history of the region and – yes – in a poem written in its honour. Since that time, it has travelled far and wide, and provided plenty of inspiration wherever it went. Samosas, empanadas, even spring rolls – it’s believed by many that the origins of these famous dishes lies in the humble sambousk.

Sambousk (also spelled sambousek or samboosak) is a popular savoury pastry that is typically filled with spiced ground meat, onions, and/or cheese, and then deep-fried or baked until crispy. The pastry is usually made from a simple dough of flour, water, and oil or butter, which is rolled out into thin circles or triangles and then filled and folded into a triangular or crescent shape.

It’s an essential member of many mezze plates, but sambousk can also be enjoyed alongside a sample of delicious dips, or with a fresh salad such as tabbouleh or fattoush. Below, we lay out the perfect picnic spread with sambousk at its centre.

Ingredients

Monjay Meza’s Sambousk
100 grams of marinated pitted black olives
100 grams of marinated pitted green olives
100 grams of marinated chargrilled capsicum
4 baby cucumbers
100 grams of feta
Monjay Mezza’s Taramasalata Dip
Monjay Mezza’s Eggplant Dip
Monjay Mezza’s Tzatziki Dip

Method

This one is pretty simple.

Cook the sambousk according to packet instructions, either by deep frying or baking. Pack them into a container lined with a tea towel, cover and keep warm.

Find yourself a large wooden chopping board to serve as the ubiquitous mezze plate, and start arranging. Slice the cucumbers into shapes appropriate to scooping up large dollops of dip. Arrange the olives and capsicum in artful clumps, or sit in individual dishes. Unwrap the feta and place on the board with a cheese knife.

Find some room for the dips (the flavours we chose are recommendations; anything goes), and sit the warm sambousk alongside (though sambousk is equally delicious when served cold).

Monjay Mezza is the home of traditional Middle Eastern Dips, Finger Food and Desserts.