When in Morocco these are called briouats (bree-wats). If you nibbled on one in Greece, they would be called spanakopita. If making these in India one might added cooked, diced potatoes and/or peas. In France, the phyllo would merely be wrapped around a disk of chèvre before being sautéed. Regardless of what they may be called, they are easy to make and delicious.
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and dried
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and kept warm
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, fine dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced parsley
10 or so fresh mint leaves, minced
2 oz (about 1/2 cup) fresh white goat or Greek feta cheese, crumbled
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup dried breadcrumbs
¼ cup plumb golden raisins
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 sheets thawed frozen phyllo dough, or more depending on how much filling
Vegetable oil for frying, optional
Lemon wedges for garnish
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place spinach in a colander and squeeze out as much water as possible. Leave in colander.
In a small dry skillet set over medium heat toast pine nuts, stirring often to prevent from burning. Remove them to a plate and set aside to cool. Return pan to the fire and melt the butter. Pour melted butter into a heat-proof bowl, set aside.
Return the same pan to the fire and add the olive oil. Sauté the onions until they are softened, add the garlic and continue cooking for another 30 seconds or so. Add the spinach and sauté for a minute or two to evaporate any additional water. Remove all to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool.
Chop the cooled pine nuts and add to the mixing bowl. Add the minced parsley, mint leaves, cheese, beaten egg, breadcrumbs, raisins and salt and pepper to taste.
Lay a barely damp towel on a half-sheet pan and lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top of that. Carefully unwrap the phyllo and unfold it on the plastic wrap. Have ready another towel to cover the phyllo. Take one sheet the long edge of the phyllo closest to you. Cover the remaining phyllo.
Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo sheet with the melted butter. Divide the dough in half and then each half in thirds or fourths, depending on how big you want the finished appetizer. Take a teaspoon of the filling (if making smaller) or a heaping teaspoon and set it on the end of the strip (closest to you). Fold the strip as you would the US flag. Brush the end with a bit more butter and fold to close. Repeat the process until all the filling has been used. Rewrap the phyllo dough and return it to the freezer.
If baking, set on a parchment lined sheet pan and brush both sides with a bit more butter. Make for 15 – 18 minutes or until golden brown.
If frying, add a couple of inches of oil to a saucepan and heat to 325 degrees F. Fry until golden on each side, remove to a paper towel lined plate. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon.
Fresh and Zippy Asparagus Soup
When asparagus is local and abundant, it’s time to make this soup. Not only is local the freshest, it’s also likely that the end that is generally tough is tender enough to include in the soup. The only way to know it though, is to cut a bit off and taste it. If it’s not tender just snap off and discard the tough part and proceed.
There’s another version of asparagus soup on my blog, but this one has a bit of zip by adding a serrano or jalapeño pepper.
Makes about 8 cups
1 pound fresh asparagus, washed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
1 large carrot, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 medium celery stalk, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, trimmed and minced
2 – 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 – 3 sprigs fresh thyme, stripped of leaves and minced, reserve some for garnish
1 medium Yukon potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
4 – 5 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock, preferably home-made
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste (optional)
1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Taste the bottom-end of a couple of stalks to determine if they are tough and woody or tender enough to cook. Trim about half of the tips to reserve as garnish. Cut spears into ½-inch pieces.
Over medium heat melt butter and olive oil in a large heavy bottomed stock pot, Dutch oven, or French cocotte. Add onions, carrot, celery, serrano, or jalapeño a pinch of salt, and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté briefly to soften but do not allow to brown. Stir in the fresh thyme, then add potatoes, asparagus (minus the reserved tops) and stock.
Bring just to a boil, then cover and turn heat down to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender when pierced with a knife.
Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the reserved asparagus tips for a few minutes, or until crisp tender. Drain the tips and place them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Doing this also preserves their bright green color. Once the tips are cool, drain them and set aside.
Purée soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender or in batches using a heavy-duty blender. Bring the soup back to a simmer, add the cream and cook uncovered until desired consistency is reached. Stir in the lemon juice (if using) and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, then top each bowl with asparagus tips, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a sprinkle of chopped thyme. Serve while still hot.
If freezing, omit the cheese, cool and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot, stir in the cheese and serve.