Bolani (Afghan-style stuffed flatbreads)

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and place a sheet of kitchen foil on the middle shelf.

2. 2

   To make the filling, rub the sweet potato all over with half a teaspoon of olive oil. Pierce the skin several times with a sharp knife and place directly onto the top shelf of the oven and bake for 1 hour.

3. 3

   Mix the ingredients for the sauce together in a small bowl, adding a splash of water if it’s a little thick. Season to taste and set aside (the further in advance you do this, the better, as it allows the flavours to develop).

4. 4

   Meanwhile, to make the dough, tip the flour into a large bowl, stir in the salt and make a well in the middle. Gradually pour in 160-180ml/5½-6fl oz water, mixing together to form a rough dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until you have a smooth, elastic ball of dough. Cover with an upturned bowl or a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 20 minutes.

5. 5

   To finish making the filling, heat a splash of the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the leek and garlic gently for 5 minutes until soft. Tip into a large bowl. Scoop the cooked sweet potato from its skin and place into the bowl with the spinach and a pinch of chilli flakes. Season to taste.

6. 6

   Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each into a thin round, roughly 20cm/8in in diameter. Spoon a quarter of the sweet potato mixture onto one side of a piece dough, brush the edge with water and fold the opposite edge over to enclose the filling - it should be a semicircle. Press the edges together to seal, making sure there’s no air trapped inside. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

7. 7

   Heat a little oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the bolani for 2 minutes on each side, until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the sauce for dipping.

1 serving ≈ 425 g

Nutrition values are estimates. - means data is unavailable.