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

My Homemade Sausage and Feta Hors D'oeuvres

When I am hosting a party, I love serving everything homemade, made from scratch. Now these pinwheel pastries may look super fancy but they are quite easy to make at home. You just need a little planning and do a couple of steps ahead of time. I am telling you, these will be gone within minutes!

You can serve these pastries as Hors d'oeuvre or as a side dish with your dinner. The pastry is prepared with an enriched dough kneaded with cream cheese and butter. The pastry swirl is very easy to make and just requires a delicious filling to accompany the flaky pastry. You can also make these with kids! They can help you to spread the cheese and the filling and then arrange the sliced pieces on the baking tray.

This rolled up feta, chicken sausage and caramelized onions topped with parsley is indeed a fancy treat. This pastry dough is decadent, flaky and easy to work with. Just make sure to use a cool space to roll out the dough because we don’t want the butter to melt.

Before trying this recipe, I used to look longingly at the bakery windows wondering how they could create such petite masterpieces. Well, making these swirls or pinwheels may sound intimidating but the recipe is actually pretty easy. The first step is rolling the dough into a thin rectangle. If the shape is not perfect don’t be afraid to use the knife and give it a little trim. Stick the pieces where appropriate using a little water (so that it sticks) then sprinkle a little flour on it to dry it up. Once you get the perfect shape, spread the sausage and caramelized onions on it, followed by the feta cheese and chopped parsley. Now all that is left is to roll the pastry dough into a log, cut it into slices and bake.

So give these delicious and beautiful pinwheel hors d'oeuvres a try and then post your comments and photos using my hashtag #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 
• Fennel Seeds - 3 tablespoons 
• 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:

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – ¼ cup 
• Chicken Sausage - 1 pound, casings removed
• Onion - 1 large, thinly sliced
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – ½ teaspoon (optional)
• Salt – a big pinch
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper – ¼ teaspoon
• Feta Cheese - 8 ounces, crumbled
• Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley Leaves – ½ cup, washed and coarsely chopped

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 Fennel Seeds, 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 (a couple spoonfuls at a time) to combine.
• Turn out the dough on a lightly floured work surface. 
• Divide into 3 equal pieces and shape into flattened rectangular 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 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 
• Crumble sausage into pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. 
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet along with the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. 
• Add the Red Pepper Flakes and season with Salt and Pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until Onion turns golden red, about 8 minutes. 
• Add the reserved sausage, and stir to combine. Remove from heat, and let cool completely. 
• Stir in feta cheese and parsley; set filling aside.

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 10X12-inch rectangle, thin like a roti or tortilla.

• Sprinkle with a third of the Sausage mixture.

• Gently spread the filling all over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border on all sides.
• Starting at the long (12-inch) edge, roll the pastry into a log.

• Turn the log down so that the open edge is on the kitchen counter. Using a sharp, serrated knife, carefully cut each log into ½ -inch-wide slices. 
• Place about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Repeat with remaining dough and filling. 
• Brush the beaten egg over the top 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.
• These savory pastries can be kept in an airtight container/ zip lock in fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them. Serve them at room temperature or reheat them in a 200-degree F oven for 10 minutes. Enjoy! 

Tip:

• It may be difficult rolling the dough into a thin rectangle. If the shape is not perfect don’t be afraid to use the knife and give it a little trim. Stick the pieces where appropriate using a little water (so that it sticks) then sprinkle a little flour on it to dry it up. 

Love serving 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 Spicy Potato Hors D'oeuvres 

Namkeen (Savory Deep Fried Indian Snacks)

These easy Namkeens are my go-to snacks. They are quick to prepare and taste delicious with a cup of hot tea. I actually prefer making them from my leftover Luchi dough because it saves me time. So, if you know I am making Luchi for brunch just assume I will be making these Namkeens for tea time. The best part, you only need one extra spice to make these and that is Kalonji (or Nigella Seeds).

I know I have written about several other snacks earlier. Mathri and Alur Bora are my all time favorites. However, there is something special about these Namkeens. My mom makes these all the time. Mind you, preparing Mathri and fritters still need some preparations and hence we always have to tell her before hand if we want to eat them. These Namkeens are so easy that they can be prepared from scratch within no time. And if she has some leftover dough then she can fry these up by the time tea is brewing. Well, I may not be as efficient as her but I do love these delicious crunchy Namkeens. Now before jumping on the recipe, I am going to tell you what does the word Namkeen mean.

Namak is the Hindi word for Salt and Namkeen means a savory snack. However, unlike the fritters, chops and samosas, Namkeens do not have a filling in them. They are in fact the easiest Indian snacks you can prepare. Yes, there are varieties of readymade Indian snacks readily available at your local Indian stores like chips, bhujiya etc. However, I feel that these Namkeens are easy enough to be prepared at home. In fact, I used to prepare these a lot when we were living in Tuscaloosa and Montgomery (Alabama). At that time Debarshi was still working at the University and completing his PHD. The closest decent Indian store was in Birmingham or Atlanta. Spending $5.00 on a small pack of snacks was an extravagance to us (for me it still is!) I believe firmly in homemade products because we know exactly what we are adding in them. So no preservatives or processed foods and only best ingredients. Nowadays I don’t prepare them very frequently (due to our low carb diet) but I would any day choose these over store bought snacks.

Now you can alter this recipe to your personal taste. Instead of Kalonji, you can add Carom or Cumin seeds. They come really handy for small tea parties. You can knead a big batch of dough and add different spices in them for different flavors. Fry them and cool them completely. Then serve them with hot tea. You can also serve them as finger foods during one of your game viewing parties. In my parent’s home, this Namkeen is very common during fasting days because it does not have any onion or garlic in it. Plus, due to its easy preparation, it makes for a perfect munching snack. I have served these several times during Holi and Diwali parties. These Namkeens are not hot and hence kids love these. You can of course dip them in sugar syrup if you want to go for a sweeter version. These are also perfect for a picnic or while traveling. You can also take a few of these for your lunch to brighten up your tea time in office.

Although fried Namkeens have a long shelf life, I would urge you to consume these within a few days. These Namkeens taste best when they are crisp and have a crunch. With time, they do tend to loose their flaky texture and then they don’t taste as good.

Now that we know how they are prepared let’s get on with the recipe:

Photo shows: Ajwain Namkeen, Kalonji Namkeen, Alur Bora, Ilish Mach, Rice, Butter Chicken, Payesh. I prepared this small plate to celebrate Rakhi with my brother. Thanks to Didi for capturing this moment.

Ingredients:

• All Purpose Flour - 1 cup
• Kalonji (or Nigella Seeds) – ½ teaspoon 
• Oil – 1-2 tablespoons (for the dough) + about 2 cups (for frying) 
• Salt - to taste (about ¼ teaspoon)

Tip: Use other flavorings like Carom Seeds or Cumin Seeds for different flavors.

Others:

• Wok
• Spider Spoon

Directions to knead the Dough: 

• In a large bowl mix together the All Purpose Flour (sift it), Kalonji, Oil and Salt. Mix using either your fingers or a whisk. You can also knead the dough in the stand mixer.
• Add water, a little at a time, and knead into a dough. At this stage it will look dry but do not add a lot of water all at once because it may then turn out sticky and too wet to handle.
• Keep kneading until the dough looks smooth and almost non sticky. Knead it tight so that it doesn’t develop too much gluten (it will make it difficult to roll).
• Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.

If you are using leftover Luchi/ Paratha dough:

• Bring it to room temperature.
• Add the Kalonji in it and knead so that the seeds are distributed evenly throughout the dough.

To roll and shape the Namkeens: 

• Divide the dough into two equal balls. Sprinkle a little flour on the kitchen counter/ rolling board. Roll each ball into a thin circle, about 6-7 inches in diameter.

• Using a knife/ pizza cutter, cut the circle into strips. Divide the longer strips into halves so that all the pieces are equal in size.

Fry the Namkeens:

• Heat a wok over medium heat. We want the Namkeens to be crispy with a golden brown color so keep the heat even. This will also prevent the dough from burning. Refer to my articles: How to know when the oil is hot enough to deep fry and How to deep-fry food with confidence for tips.
• Drop a small piece of dough in the oil to check if the oil is hot enough. If it quickly changes color, then turn down the heat a bit. If it is taking some time to bubble then turn up the heat a little. 
• Once the oil is ready, gently and carefully drop the strips one by one in the oil.
• Allow them to cook then turn them so that they get fried evenly.

• Remove and drain on paper towels. 
• Serve hot with Dhania chutney/ ketchup and tea.

Other appetizers you may like:

• Pyaz Ke Pakore (Onion Fritters)
• French Chops
• Samosa (Spicy Potato stuffed Pastries)
• Alur Bora (Mamma’s Potato with Garlic fritters)
• Kabiraji
• Alu Tikiya ki Chaat
• Methi Pakora (Gram flour and Fenugreek leaves Fritters)
• Palak ke Pakore (Gram flour and Spinach Fritters)
• Alu Cutlet (Crispy Shallow Fried Potato Patties)
• My Homemade Sausage and Feta Hors D'oeuvres
• My Homemade Spicy Potato Hors D'oeuvres 
• Mamma’s Dahi Bara (Lentil Fritters with creamy Yogurt, Chutney and Spices)
• Egg Devil (Bengali recipe of Croquettes with egg and minced meat/ Indian Scotch Eggs)
• Besan Mathri (Deep Fried Flaky Gram Flour Cookies)
• Bread Pakora (Deep fried Bread Fritters with Potato filling)
• Vegetable Cutlets
• Bread Pakora with Soa Alu (Deep fried Bread Fritters with Dill and Potato filling)
• Paneer Pakore (Fresh Cheese Fritters)