8 sheets phyllo pastry dough, each about 13 * 7 inches
5 tablespoons butter, melted
6 ounces soft, rindless goat cheese
1/2 cup roughly chopped mixed shelled hazalnuts and pistachio nuts (I did not add these)
salt and pepper
For the Beet Dressing:
1/3 cup chopped cooked beet
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons olive oil
For the sweet and sour Leeks
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons sugar
2 ponunds leeks, trimmed, cleaned, cut in half lengthwise and then into chunks
Juice of 1 lemon
For the Tomato Garnish
1 tomato
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons mixed fresh herbs, such as flat leafed parsley, thyme and oregano
1. Working quickly before the dough dries and keeping all but the sheet you are working on under a damp dish towel, place a sheet of phyllo on a flat surface and brush it all over with a little of the melted butter. Place the second sheet on top and cut in half to make 2 squares. Brush one with little more butter and place the other stack on top at an angle to create an 8 pointed star. Butter the top layer of dough; repeat to make 4 stacked dough stars.
{Honestly I did not waste time to create the star and all, you can try it though if you want to serve it to guests.}
2. cut the goat cheese into 4 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Place a cheese ball in the middle of each phyllo star. Sprinkle the nuts over and season. Bring together the corners of each star and twist to make a bundle. Place on a cookie sheet and brush with the remaining butter. Chill until required.
3.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. To make the beet dressing, place all the ingredients in a food processor with 3 tablespoons water and blend until smooth; set aside until required.
4. To make the sweet and sour leeks, heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and sugar, and stir until the sugar caramelizes. Add the leeks and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Cover and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, bake the phyllo bundles for 5 minutes until golden and crisp at the edges.
6. To make the tomato garnish, first cut the tomato into quarters and scoop out the seeds. Then run a sharp knife underneath the flesh of the each tomato quarter to remove the skin. Cut each quarter into 4 strips and toss in the oil and herbs.
7. To assemble, place a small mound of the leeks in the middle of each plate and place a goat cheese bundle on top. Spoon around the beet dressing and decorate each plate with the tomato garnish.
6 tablespoons butter
5 cups trimmed and sliced leeks
2 cups dry hard cider (I used sparkling cider)
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons while grain mustard
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 pound potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
salt and pepper
12 sheets of phyllo pastry dough, defrosted if frozen (You can find these at any grocery store, 1 pack contains around 50 sheets)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt one-third of the butter in a large skillet. Add the leeks and saute for 6 to 8 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the cider, bring to a boil, and boil rapidly, uncovered, until reduced by about two-thirds. Add the cream, return to a boil, and boil rapidly for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sauce reaches the consistency of thick cream Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard, eggs and cheese.
2. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes until tender; be sure they are cooked through, because the acidity from the cider will prevent them from cooking further when added to the sauce. Drain and stir gently with the leek mixture. Season to taste.
3. Melt the remaining butter. Use a little to brush the bottom of a 13X9 inch baking dish. Place a sheet of phyllo pastry dough on a top and brush with a little more butter. Repeat with 4 more sheets of dough to cover the bottom and sides of the dish, overlapping the edges. Spread the filling inside, then layer another 5 sheets of dough, in the same way, over the top; fold over any overlapping dough. Brush 2 more sheets with the remaining butter, gently crumple, and place on top of the pie.
4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden.
4 tablespoons butter or 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
3 onions halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 1/2 tablespoon coarsly chopped fresh cilantro
3 ounces feta cheese, diced
salt and pepper
For the Pastry:
12 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted if frozen
4 tablespoons melted butter or 4 tablespoons olive oil
For the red bell pepper and tomato sauce:
1 (14 ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers - (I roasted bell peppers at home, you can google the procedure)
1 (14 ouce) jar diced tomatoes - (I cut 2 tomatoes and didn't use the jar)
Pinch of saffron strands, softened in a little boiling water
1 tablespoon honey
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
squeeze of lemon juice - I bought it and forgot to add :(
(I added some tofu, which wasn't in the original recipe)
The original recipe is for rolls, I felt it was a little time-consuming so I rather made a pie instead of rolls. It tastes amazing.
1. Melt about half the butter or heat half the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the thinly sliced onions and sprinkle with the salt. Cook for a few minutes, stirring. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft but not colored.
2. Stir in the ground cinnamon, beaten eggs, and remaining butter or olive oil. Keep over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until the eggs are thick but still moist (like scrambled eggs). Stir in the chopped herbs, tofu and the feta; season to taste. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.
3. To make the red bell pepper and tomato sauce, first drain the peppers. Then put them in a blender or food processor with the tomatoes, saffron, honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend this mixture to a puree. Pour into a pan, add the garlic, and simmer for 30 minutes, until reduced by about half and thick. (I didn't use all in the recipe, I put the remaining in some Indian curries, that tasted awesome)
4. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Cover the pan with 2 phyllo sheets, butter them , spread the feta mixture and cover it with 2 phyllo sheets, repeat the steps and put the red bell pepper sauce as the uppermost layer and cover it again with 2 phyllo sheets.
5. Bake the pastries for 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Remaining bell pepper sauce (if any) can be used for decoration
