My Homemade Spicy Potato Hors D'oeuvres

These homemade pastries are finger licking good. You can enjoy them at pretty much any time you want. However, my favorite time is, in the evening with a cup of hot tea.

For all those who love using readymade pastry dough for making quick appetizers, this homemade pastry dough is a must try. All you need is a pack of cream cheese and 2 sticks of butter, 3 eggs and some flour. Believe me, it doesn’t take much to make this flaky, delicious pastry dough from scratch.

I started by kneading the dough then freezing it overnight. Next day, I transferred the dough to the fridge so that it can thaw. Then I made a spicy potato filling and allowed it about an hour to completely cool down. After that it was easy business. I rolled the dough, spread the filling on it, cut into thin pizza slices and rolled them up. A quick egg wash and bake and they were ready!

These flaky pastries are as good as they look! They are decadent and delicious. You can serve them as Hors D'oeuvre (because they are bite sized) with a Cilantro chutney and drinks or as a side dish with your dinner.

I think I have a thing for all things petite. I think they require more attention to make and must taste incredibly superb. Because they are so small in size they really have to be loaded with flavors and colors. These light golden pastries are so petite that they can safely be called Hors D'oeuvres. Doesn’t this term sound fancy? Hors D'oeuvre! Wow! I feel like I am in a French restaurant and with this easy recipe you too can make them at home.

I have a gorgeous baking handbook by Martha Stewart and it has all these fancy recipes. The only downside is, most of them are sweet. Now don’t take me wrong, I enjoy sweet confections but I think we should always know savory recipes as well. They do need a little planning ahead but it’s completely doable.

So give these delectable hors d'oeuvres a try and then post your photos and comments using #lifewithoutalu.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• Unsalted Butter - 2 sticks, room temperature
• Cream Cheese - 8 ounces, room temperature
• Egg Yolks - 3 large
• Salt – ½ teaspoon
• Red Chili Powder – ½ teaspoon
• Ajwain (Carom Seeds) – 1 ½ teaspoons
• All-Purpose Flour – 2 1/3 cups, plus more for dusting

Tip: Read Basic Kitchen Measurements to learn how to separate egg whites and yolks.

For the Filling:

• Potatoes – 2 large (boiled, peeled and mashed)
• Onion – ½ medium, minced
• Garlic – 2-3 cloves, minced
• Green chilies – 2, minced
• Cilantro – a handful, minced
• Salt - to taste (about ½ teaspoon)
• Crushed Red Pepper – 1 teaspoon
• Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
• Chat masala – ½ teaspoon
• Amchur – ¼ teaspoon
• Garam masala – ¼ teaspoon
• Oil - about 4-5 tablespoons

For the Finishing:

• Egg - 1 large, beaten lightly
• Pastry Brush
• Parchment Paper

Directions:

Make the dough:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the Salt, Red Chili Powder and Ajwain, beat until combined and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating to combine after each.
• With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour to combine.
• Turn out the dough on a lightly floured work surface.
• Divide into 3 equal pieces and shape into flattened disks, wrap each in plastic.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. (Tip: I froze the dough overnight then thawed it in fridge for 4-5 hours, it helped shape the dough better).

Make the filling:

• Heat a wok over medium high heat.
• Add Oil in it.
• After a couple of seconds, add the Onion and Garlic and fry them till they are golden brown in color.
• Add the Green Chilies and mix well.
• Add the mashed Potato in it with Salt and mix well.
• Now add all the spices - crushed Red Pepper, Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Chat masala, Amchur powder and Garam Masala.
• Mix everything well and fry the mixture until it’s fragrant and the Potatoes change color to dark red and get dry.
• Turn off the heat and allow it to cool down (about 10 minutes).
• Add the Cilantro.

Roll, Fill and Bake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one piece of dough into a 10-inch round, about ¼ inch thick.
• Sprinkle with a third of the Potato mixture.
• Using the rolling pin, gently roll over the round to press the filling into the dough.
• Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the round into 16 equal wedges
• Beginning with the outside edge of each wedge, roll to enclose filling.
• Place about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets (I put the rolled side down, it helps to hold it together).
• Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Brush the beaten egg over the tops of the pastries.
• Bake the sheets, rotating halfway through, until the pastries are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
• These savory pastries can be kept in an airtight container/ zip lock in fridge for up to 4 days (or freeze them). Serve them at room temperature with Cilantro chutney or reheat them in a 200-degree F oven for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Love hors d'oeuvres? Try these as well:

• Debarshi’s Amuse Bouche
• Namkeen (Savory Deep Fried Indian Snacks)
• Pyaz Ke Pakore (Onion Fritters)
• Alur Bora (Mamma’s Potato with Garlic fritters)
• Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki
• Methi Pakora (Gram flour and Fenugreek leaves Fritters)
• Palak ke Pakore (Gram flour and Spinach Fritters)
• My Homemade Sausage and Feta Hors D'oeuvres