293546 Mon Jul 21 13:17:46 -0700 2003 11 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1606686 I've just discovered how easy and cheap using phyllo is - it's so impressive looking, too. But my first attempt didn't turn out too great (I was just experimenting so I didn't use a recipe). Do you have any suggestions for fillings? And how about a stuffed chicken breast wrapped in phyllo recipe? Do you cook the chicken first or roll it up with the fillings and wrap it in phyllo, raw? Different recipes seem to have different methods. Thanks! Mon Jul 21 13:17:46 -0700 2003 0 anne 1 1606693 My mom used to make blintzes using phyllo dough, but I think she lost the recipe. I've heard suggestions of using olive oil spray instead of melted butter between the layers, which is easier and a bit more healthy. Mon Jul 21 13:31:22 -0700 2003 1606686 0 Bride of the Juggler 2 1606716 1) Fix chicken meat in a rich chicken gravy with whatever vegetable additions you like, put this in a casserole, and cut a piece of phyllo, about four or five thicknesses of it, to fit the top and bake until crust is golden brown. Makes a crunchier top crust than pastry. 2) Make easy fruit strudel using five thicknesses of phyllo for the crust. I have never made a savory strudel but it should work just as well. Be sure to fold in the ends securely to avoid leakage. 3) Take leftover meat and gravy or chicken and mushrooms or whatever is around, put a gob of it on a couple of thicknesses of phyllo, make a package, brush with butter, and bake. 4) Put four or five thicknesses of phyllo together with melted butter, cut into squares or rectangles, bake on a cookie sheet, and use instead of puff pastry to make Napoleons. 5) And definitely make your own baklava. Line the pan with several thicknesses of phyllo all the way up the sides, put in a layer of ground nuts with sugar and cinnamon, more phyllo, more nuts, all the way to the top finishing with phyllo. Fold over edges. Cut into squares. Bake. Make a syrup by boiling softly 1 cup honey with 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, a slice each of orange and lemon, a few whole cloves, and a piece of stick cinnamon for fifteen minutes. When you take the baklava out of the oven pour all the hot syrup on at once and let this sit for at least 12 hours---it will absorb all the syrup. You will never again buy your baklava. Mon Jul 21 17:06:36 -0700 2003 1606693 0 N Tocus 1 1606695 Besides the famous Greek Spanakopita - spinach and feta wrapped in phyllo, some shape the phyllo into individual cupcake pans and fill afterwards with fruit, custard, etc. I love making sweets with it as well, like baklava. Phyllo is fun! Mon Jul 21 13:49:23 -0700 2003 1606686 0 Caffeine Free Diet Shasta 1 1606697 Try googling recipes for bisteeya--Moroccan chicken dish using phyllo. Mon Jul 21 14:22:33 -0700 2003 1606686 0 Coyote 2 1606703 I made bisteeya last night, from a recipe in one of Kitty Morse's cookbooks, and it was really outstanding. It requires some work, but it's definitely worth the effort. Mon Jul 21 15:03:13 -0700 2003 1606697 0 Kirk 1 1606702 This is the brand of phyllo I use. They have an extensive list of recipes. Link: http://www.athens.com/recipes/archive.php Mon Jul 21 14:44:39 -0700 2003 1606686 0 lucia 1 1606713 I made a fab one -- can't remember the cookbook I used, may just have been Joy of Cooking or Dean & Deluca -- filling was a mix of fresh and dried mushroom with relevant herbs (thyme, rosemary...?) and a dab of feta. Layer one slice of phyllo on top of the other with a bit of melted butter between, slice phyllo into ribbons and dab filling in, fold over in triangle twice, using butter to seal, bake. My guests were very happy! It wasn't that hard to do and could have been done ahead of time -- definitely a party dish, great finger food. Mon Jul 21 16:55:41 -0700 2003 1606686 0 Pamlet 2 1606727 Something similar I make calls for a mixture of mushrooms sauteed with a little garlic, soft goat cheese and chopped parsley. you stack several layers of buttered phyllo, spoon the filling in a line along one edge of the phyllo and roll it up into a log. Slice the log into 1/2 to 1 inch rounds and bake. Serve. Also, take a phyllo sheet. Butter it and lightly sprinkle each sheet with garam masala and ground almonds or hazelnuts. Repeat with 3 more sheets, layering as you go. Cut the stacked sheets into wide strips and wrap around raw jumbo shrimp. bake in a 400 degree oven until browned. Mon Jul 21 18:37:56 -0700 2003 1606713 0 rjka 1 1606770 Whatever filling you use, it must be cooked ahead of time, as the baking time will be too short for a filling of raw meat. Try some of the classic Greek ones like Spanikopita (Feta Cheese and Spinach) and plain feta (can't recall the Greek name). They can be made as large pies in a 9 x 13-inch pan and cut into squares or made as "Tiropeta". Cut the phyllo into long strips, butter both sides, put a spoonful of filling on one end. Pick up a corner and bring it to the opposite side to make a triangle. Keep flipping the triangle over to the end of the strip. These are great finger food. Recipes should not be difficult to find. Tue Jul 22 03:34:25 -0700 2003 1606686 0 Colleen 1 1606774 Nigella Lawson in How to Be a Domestic Goddess has a fabulous recipe for a zucchini and chickpea phyllo pie -- it has zucchinis, chickpeas and basmati rice in the filling. You might be able to find the recipe at this link. Link: http://nigella.proboards7.com/index.cgi Tue Jul 22 08:39:45 -0700 2003 1606686 0 Caitlin Wheeler 1 1607099 Great dessert that is easy to do. Shred the phyllo dough by holding the unrolled dough and slicing the end into think slivers. This is much like you would do for the frozen cookie dough. Take the wheels you have cut and seperate them into confetti strands. Generously butter a muffin tin and fill 1/2 way with the phyllo strands. They will look like little nests. Top (overfill) each tin with fresh berries (or other fruit). Drizzle butter on them and sprikle with sugar. Bake until the dough is browned. This is good to make savory appetizers too. You can use cheese and veggies. Friends are impressed! Thu Jul 24 15:40:35 -0700 2003 1606686 0 MeffaBabe