Herb Phyllo Crisp Recipes

PHYLLO CRISPS

Steps:

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Have a second baking sheet ready.
• Combine the orange zest with the sugar in a small bowl, using your fingertips to rub the orange zest into the sugar to release its essential oils. Add the cinnamon and cardamom and mix to combine.
• Place 2 sheets phyllo on the parchment-lined baking sheet. (When working with phyllo, always keep a clean, moist kitchen towel over the stack of dough that you're not handling. Phyllo is very thin and will dry out quickly, becoming brittle and impossible to work with.) Using a pastry brush, gently apply a thin layer of melted butter to the top sheet of phyllo and sprinkle liberally with some spiced sugar. Place another 2 sheets phyllo dough on top of the first layer and press lightly. Brush with a little more melted butter and sprinkle with more spiced sugar. Then top with 2 sheets phyllo and, once again, lightly brush with butter and sprinkle with spiced sugar. You may have some leftover spiced sugar.
• Completely cover the layered phyllo with damp paper towels or plastic wrap to prevent the fragile phyllo dough from drying out and cracking and refrigerate until the butter returns to a solid state, at least 10 minutes. (Don't worry, the sugar didn't stick to the damp paper towels, even though we thought it might.)
• Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
• When the butter is solid, remove and discard the paper towels or plastic wrap. Using a pizza cutter or a very sharp knife, cut the layers into approximately 2-inch (5-centimeter) squares. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and the second baking sheet to weight the phyllo for baking- this ensures that they puff just enough to be flaky while still maintaining a crisp, linear look.
• Bake the phyllo crisps for 10 minutes. The crisps should be lightly browned, especially along the edges. Remove the top baking sheet and rotate the bottom baking sheet 180°, then bake for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the crisps become evenly golden, crisp, and flaky.
• While the crisps are baking, place the honey in the microwave for 20 seconds or in a small saucepan over low heat for 1 minute. You want the honey to be warm and runny and spreadable.
• Immediately after removing the phyllo crisps from the oven, brush them with the warm honey and sprinkle with a pinch granulated sugar (or, if desired, any leftover spiced sugar). Let cool at room temperature. The crisps are best served fresh that day but can be covered with parchment paper and kept overnight at room temperature.

TURKISH CHEESE AND HERB CIGARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mash the farmer's cheese, feta and mozzarella together in a bowl using a fork. Work the egg in with the fork, then stir in the parsley, dill, chives, lemon zest and a large pinch of black pepper.
• Put a damp, clean towel on your counter. Unfold the phyllo sheets on top and cover with another damp, clean towel.
• Put 1 sheet of phyllo on a cutting board with the long side closest to you and brush lightly with butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo and brush lightly with butter. Top with a third sheet of phyllo and brush lightly with butter. Cut the phyllo in half crosswise, then cut each half horizontally into thirds. Place the rectangles on a baking sheet and set aside. Repeat with the remaining phyllo.
• Working with one buttered phyllo stack at a time, spread a heaping tablespoon of cheese along the long edge of each rectangle, leaving a 1/2-inch border at each end. Fold the sides over the filling, then roll up from the bottom edge of the phyllo. Transfer rolled cigars to a baking sheet seam-side down and brush each with a little butter. Repeat with the remaining phyllo, filling and butter.
• Bake the cigars, rotating the pan halfway through, until crispy and golden-brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

PHYLLO CRISP OYSTERS WITH REMOULADE

Steps:

• Make the Remoulade: Remove the shell from the egg, and chop it or run it through the large holes of a box grater. Whip the creme fraiche to medium peaks and add the egg, chives, capers, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the Oysters: Mix the water into the tempura flour and refrigerate. Shuck the oysters and set aside. Reserve half of the shells for presentation and scrub them clean. On a clean work surface, lay out the shredded phyllo.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a medium-sized pot to 350 degrees F. (To check without a thermometer, drop a small amount of the tempura batter into the oil--it should sizzle quickly rise to the surface.) Adjust the burner to keep the temperature constant.
• Working with 1 oyster at a time, dredge in flour, dip in the tempura mix, and then roll around in the shredded phyllo to completely cover. Fry the oysters, turning them occasionally with a fork, until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
• On a tray large enough to accommodate all of the oysters, form a bed of rock salt, peppercorns, and seaweed. Place the cleaned shells on the tray, spoon a dollop of the remoulade into each one, and top with an oyster.

PHYLLO PECAN CRISPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a food processor grind pecans with sugar until finely chopped. In a piece of parchment paper on a work surface arrange 1 phyllo sheet and brush with some butter. Sprinkle phyllo sheet evenly with half of pecan sugar and top with a second phyllo sheet, some butter, remaining pecan sugar, and remaining phyllo sheet, pressing down gently with your fingers and brushing with some butter. Slide a baking sheet under parchment and chill phyllo 10 minutes.
• Transfer phyllo with parchment to a cutting board and with sharp knife cut stack lengthwise into 2-inch-wide strips, cutting through parchment and discarding excess. Cut each rectangle diagonally in half and transfer triangles on parchment to baking sheet, separating triangles slightly. Cover triangles directly with another parchment sheet and bake in lower third of oven 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool crisps on baking sheet on a rack. Crisps keep in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.

GOAT CHEESE, CHARD AND HERB PIE IN A PHYLLO CRUST

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem and wash the Swiss chard. If the stems are wide and meaty set them aside for another purpose. If they are thin and sinewy, discard. When the water comes to a boil salt generously and add the chard leaves. Fill a bowl with cold water. Blanch the chard for 1 minute, just until tender, and transfer to the bowl of cold water. Drain, take up the chard by the handful and squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine. You should have about 1 cup chopped cooked chard.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Blend together the eggs and goat cheese, either in an electric mixer or in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the milk and the garlic and blend until smooth. If using a processor, scrape into a bowl. Stir in the blanched chopped chard, the herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Brush a 9- or 10-inch tart pan or cake pan with olive oil and place on a baking sheet for easier handling. Open up the package of phyllo and unfold the sheets of dough. Remove 8 sheets of phyllo and fold the remaining dough back up. Wrap tightly in plastic, return to the box if you wish and either refrigerate or freeze. Lay a sheet of phyllo in the pan, tucking it into the seam of the pan, with the edges overhanging the rim. Brush it lightly with olive oil (or melted butter and oil) and turn the pan slightly, then place another sheet on top, positioning it so that the edges overlap another section of the pan's rim. Continue to layer in 6 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each one with oil - both the bottom and the sides and edges that overhang the pan -- and staggering them so that the overhang on the rim of the pan is evenly distributed and covers the entire pan.
• Pour the goat cheese and chard filling into the phyllo-lined pan, scraping all of it out of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Scrunch the overhanging phyllo in around the edges of the pan to form an attractive lip. Brush the scrunched rim with olive oil. Place in the oven and bake 40 minutes, until the filling is puffed, set and lightly colored on the surface. Remove from the heat (if it puffed up it will settle) and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

PEAR AND APPLE PHYLLO CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees with a rack in top position. Combine pecans, breadcrumbs, sugar, and cinnamon.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment, and top with 1 phyllo sheet. Brush phyllo all over with butter, and sprinkle pecan mixture evenly over top. Repeat 4 times. Top with remaining phyllo sheet, and brush with all but 2 tablespoons butter.
• Slice pears and apples 1/8 inch thick; discard seeds. Arrange pear and apple slices in a single layer on phyllo, leaving space between fruit and a 1/4-inch border around edges. Brush fruit with reserved 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle with sugar, and dust with cinnamon. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until phyllo is golden brown and fruit is soft, 28 to 32 minutes. Let cool slightly. Cut into 8 pieces.