When I discovered that our local Whole Foods market
carries The Fillo Factory brand of organic whole wheat fillo (phyllo) dough, I
promised to post the recipe I made using this fantastic product. (No, I wasn’t
paid to say that!)
Instead of preparing a sweet recipe, I chose the savory
route. The fillo sheets were very easy to handle, but be reminded that you must
keep the sheets properly covered while working with them so they don’t become
brittle.
(The photos will you help
visualize the process.)
It’s not very complicated to make, but it does take some time – and – is definitely worth the effort!
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| Whole Wheat Fillo Dough Stuffed with Spiced Meat (Kufteh) Filling |
Armenian
Meat ‘Burritos’ – or – Whole Wheat Fillo Dough Stuffed with Spiced Meat (Kufteh) Filling
Ingredients:
1 Lb. pkg. Fillo Factory organic whole wheat fillo dough, defrosted and set at room
temp for 20 minutes before using
One stick of melted unsalted butter and/or a can of vegetable
oil spray (for assembling)
NOTE: The Fillo Factory brand is available in many Whole Foods and some specialty stores. Check their website for a store near you.
NOTE: I used our kufteh filling recipe. The
filling should be made one day in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.
Filling Ingredients: 2 large onions, finely chopped
3 to 4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley, washed, stems removed,
finely chopped
Ground coriander, allspice, black pepper, salt, paprika –
season to taste
1 lb. ground lamb, beef, or turkey (97% lean)
¼ cup pine nuts, optional
Filling Directions:
1. In a skillet, sauté onions in olive oil over medium
heat until soft about 10-12 minutes. Do not allow onions to burn.
2. Stir in the chopped parsley, and seasonings. Cook
another 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a separate skillet, coat the bottom with vegetable
spray. Brown the ground meat until it is no longer pink, breaking it into small
pieces as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat which collects in the skillet.
4. Combine the cooked ground meat with the onion mixture.
Adjust seasonings, if necessary. Stir in pine nuts, if using.
5. Place filling mixture in bowl, cover, and refrigerate until
ready to use.
Preparing to work with fillo (phyllo) dough:
1. Remove fillo dough from refrigerator. Bring the
packaged dough to room temperature before opening and using.
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| Preparation Photo Step #2: Fillo dough completely covered with plastic wrap |
2. Remove the thawed dough from the package and unroll
the sheets. Cover the unrolled dough completely with plastic wrap to keep it pliable, as it dries out very quickly. As you remove one sheet at a time, keep
the remaining sheets covered.
Before
assembling, have the following ready:
A. One stick unsalted butter, melted, and a pastry brush
–AND/OR- a can of vegetable oil spray
B. Meat filling
C. Baking sheet, lightly greased
To Assemble:
1. Using one sheet of dough at a time, lightly butter the
entire sheet – or spray with vegetable spray. 2. Fold the sheet in half length-wise, buttering or spraying
the surface of the sheet. 3. Placing the narrower end of the dough close to you,
put about one hefty tablespoonful of filling one-inch from the edge of the
narrow end. Leave about ½ an inch of space on each side of the dough as well.
4. Begin rolling the dough over the filling away from you,
then fold in each side of the dough over the filling, as though you were making
a burrito.
5. Continue rolling the dough, buttering or spraying as you roll down
to the opposite end of the dough.
6. Place filled –rolled dough on a lightly greased baking
sheet. Brush top with melted butter. Continue this process until all fillo
sheets and filling are used up.
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the dough is
lightly browned.
To Serve:
1. Cut in half on the diagonal, if desired, or leave
whole. Arrange on individual plates.
NOTE: If you’re not serving these right away, these can be frozen before
baking. Freeze in a proper freezer container, and be sure to place plastic wrap or waxed paper between layers so they don’t stick together.
To Bake from Frozen: Place frozen fillo packets on a lightly greased baking sheet; brush
tops with melted butter. (Refer to assembly photo step #6.) Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown and the filling is heated through.
View Comments
It's funny. Last night I made almost the same thing but with wonton skins. And I fried them. They were mouth wateringly, oil drippingly great. :-)
Great minds think alike, Ara!