Baked pea and paneer samosas

These are a huge hit in my house and simple enough to make using everyday ingredients. Once cooked, the samosas can be served hot or cold as a snack, starter or lunch with chutney and raita, or with a curry.

Time taken: 45 minutes

Makes 16

1 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil,

plus extra for brushing

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, grated

2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

1 tbsp korma paste

1 tsp tomato purée

200g paneer cheese, finely

diced

2 tbsp desiccated coconut

175g frozen peas, defrosted

4 sheets filo pastry

1-2 tsp nigella seeds and/or

sesame seeds

flaked sea salt

To serve

mango chutney

H Heat the oil in a frying pan.

Add the onion, carrot, garlic

and ginger to sauté for about

10 minutes until the onion is

beautifully soft.

• Stir in the korma paste, tomato purée, paneer, coconut, peas, 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the filling has all cooked together nicely. Check the seasoning and add more salt if you feel it needs it. Remove the pan from the heat and cool slightly. 
• Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6. 
• Cut each piece of the filo pastry widthways into 4 strips, about 10cm wide. Working on four strips at a time, brush each one lightly with oil. To prevent the remaining pastry from drying out, keep it covered with a damp tea towel. 
• Spoon a heaped tablespoon of the filling on to the bottom corner of each lightly oiled pastry strip. Fold over diagonally to create a triangle over the filling. Continue to fold/roll the pastry around the filling, keeping the triangle shape, securing in the filling. Once all 4 strips are filled and folded, place on a baking sheet. Continue with the remaining strips of pastry until you have used all the filling and pastry strips. 
• Brush the top of each samosa with a little oil and sprinkle over some of the seeds. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp. Once cooked, leave to cool for a few minutes before eating warm with the chutney, or leave to cool completely and enjoy cold. 

Flexible 

Vegan/dairy-free The equivalent weight of drained, tinned chickpeas are a tasty and suitable alternative to the paneer cheese. 

Pescatarian Roughly chop 200g cooked North Atlantic prawns and use in the place of the paneer cheese. 

Meat-lovers Cook 200g lamb, beef or chicken mince in with the sautéed onion mixture until cooked through in place of the paneer cheese.