Sambousek

If you enjoy Indian samosas or Latin American empanadas, you'll enjoy sambousek. It's a small Lebanese meat pie or turnover popular in the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Africa. It comes in a variety of forms and is known by various names such as sambosa, sambusak, sambuseh, and samsa.

Sambousek is traditionally filled with either pre-cooked ground beef or lamb or a type of cheese such as feta or kashkaval in Lebanon. When made with cheese, it frequently includes spinach. Before being deep-fried or baked, the filling is wrapped inside dough that is folded and pinched shut into a crescent shape. Sambousek, which is commonly served as a mezze, is especially popular during the holy month of Ramadan.

Sambousek has a long history dating back to the Middle East in the 10th century. It was first mentioned in an Iranian history book under the name "sambosa." This early version is widely regarded as the forerunner of similar savory pastries such as the samosa, empanada, and Italian calzone.

Lebanese sambousek is commonly crescent-shaped, similar to empanadas, but it can also be made in other shapes depending on where it comes from and the type of dough used to make it.