Samsa

Layered or shortcrust pastry is filled with minced lamb and onion, sealed into a triangle or square and baked against the wall of a clay tandoor until golden and crisp. Juicy inside and shatteringly flaky outside, it is the everyday Central Asian hand pie.

Samsa's origins are debated, but it is a defining pastry of Central Asian cuisine, with roots in the broader Persian culinary tradition. Across the region it is a common street food, yet the Uzbek version is especially prized for its flaky, layered pastry and traditional clay-oven baking.

In Uzbekistan, samsa is typically filled with minced lamb and onion, though variations with beef, pumpkin, or chickpeas also exist. It is traditionally baked against the inner wall of a tandoor, which yields a crisp, golden exterior. Samsa plays a key role in Uzbek hospitality, frequently served with tea at bazaars, family gatherings, and teahouses.