Balsamic Vegetable Phyllo Triangles

A working lunch happens fairly often. Taking a meeting or working on a project while noshing is nothing new. These savory triangles fill the need for fast and convenient yet healthy food. They keep well and are delicious warm or at room temperature. Or try them as an appetizer at your next party!

Balsamic Vegetable Phyllo (Filo) Triangles
1/2 pound of frozen filo sheets
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup sweet potato, 1/4 inch dice
1/2 cup red bell pepper, 1/4 inch dice
1/3 cup thin asparagus, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 tablespoons finely diced purple onion
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped Swiss chard
1 teaspoons kosher salt, plus some for sprinkling
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
Optional: 1/3 cup feta or Balsamic Bellavitano cheese
Thaw filo in the fridge for several hours or overnight. When veggies are diced and ready to go, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium high heat. Add sweet potatoes, cook and stir for 3 or 4 minutes or until they begin to caramelize. Stir in red pepper and continue cooking 2 or 3 minutes more. Add asparagus, purple onion, pine nuts and rosemary. Cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Add Swiss chard and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. When chard has wilted, stir in 1 teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes. Pour balsamic vinegar into pan then cook and stir until vinegar has been absorbed in the veggies, about 4 minutes.

 Put the olive oil in a small bowl. Place one sheet of filo onto a work surface, keeping other sheets under plastic wrap. With a pastry brush or your fingers, spread a bit of olive oil over the filo then top with another sheet. Spread oil on 1/2 of this filo sheet, lengthwise. Fold sheets in half lengthwise. Place about 1/4 to 1/3 cup filling on one end in a rough triangle. Top with 1  tablespoon cheese, if using. Fold into triangle shapes, like a flag is folded. Tuck ends in, place on an ungreased baking sheet, brush top with oil then sprinkle with some kosher salt. Repeat until all the sheets of filo are used. Place sheet in a cold oven and turn temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. If using the cheese, make sure to chill with in one hour. 

 Hints: The filo will dry out but not too quickly as you work with it. Keeping it covered will help with that. Use spinach if you don't have Swiss Chard. Dried rosemary would work but fresh is a bit better. You could substitute another herb such as oregano or thyme if you like. Use as much red pepper flakes as you want or leave them out altogether. The balsamic is lovely in this filling and I love it with the rosemary. These are pretty messy to eat but worth every crumb! This filling would also work in a yeast dough as a calzone or in pie crust dough as a savory hand pie.

I have made these with and without cheese. They are delicious both ways. It just depends on whether you want to up the protein or you want straight vegan fare. Try my recipe for spanakopita if you like these.

One more and I'll move on

What Greek food section would  be complete without Baklava? One last Greek recipe and I will move on, I promise. Although I may return to the Greeks occasionally. 

Baklava
4 cups ground walnuts, about 1 1/2 lbs
1 cup sugar, raw or white
1/2 lb fillo (phyllo) sheets, thawed
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup walnut (or almond) oil
In a food processor bowl, combine walnuts and raw sugar. Butter bottom and sides of a 9"x13" baking pan. Melt butter and mix with walnut oil. Turn oven on at 400 degrees. Place one or two sheets of fillo in bottom of pan. Brush with butter mixture. Top with another sheet or two and brush with butter. Repeat for a total of  4 or 5 times, using 1/4 of the sheets. Spread 1/3 of walnuts evenly over surface. Layer more fillo sheets as before with butter in between, 4 or 5 times. Spread with half of the remaining of the walnuts. Layer fillo a third time. Top with remaining walnuts. Finally, top with the remaining fillo sheets and butter. Carefully cut the baklava into 1 1/2 inch diamonds. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until very golden brown. While baking, make the syrup by combining the following in a large sauce pan:
1 1/2 cup honey (1 cup)
1 cup water (2/3 cup)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (2 tablespoons)
4 2"x1" pieces lemon peel (3 pieces)
10 whole cloves
2 small cinnamon sticks
Bring to a boil and continue boiling until syrup reaches 220 degrees (the jelly stage). Remove from heat and strain syrup into another container. Discard peel and spices. Pour hot syrup evenly over baklava. Cool and then re-cut diamonds to serve.

Hints: Don't worry about the sheets of fillo falling apart a bit. In this dish it won't matter in the final product. The sheets of fillo I get are just the right size for the 9x13 pan. Fillo is usually in the frozen food section of the grocery store. I grind the walnuts in a food processor but I think you could chop them finely and get a good result. You can use almonds and/or pistachios instead of the walnuts or all three in combo. I like my baklava to be very gooey, almost dripping with syrup. However I have included the measurements for less syrup in parenthesis in case you prefer it less sloppy. Use a candy thermometer when making the syrup so that it becomes the right consistency. I prefer the baklava to be at room temperature when serving but warm is ok and chilled is as well.

I can only make baklava when I am sure of sharing it, otherwise I end up eating too much! Don't you feel sorry for people who dislike nuts? Poor souls will never enjoy baklava!

They have been doing this a long time

This is a modern version of an ancient dish. I learned to make dolmades from my friend Jana. She is half Greek and all good cook! I have adjusted her family recipe to suit my tastes-just like I expect you to adjust my recipes to suit your tastes. Have fun!

Dolmades
1 15oz. jar grape leaves (available at my local grocery store--check yours or a Mediterranean grocery)
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 cup finely diced sweet onion
1 cup white rice (I use basamati)
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 2/3 cup tomato juice, divided
2 large lemons
Carefully remove the grape leaves from the jar. Place in a bowl of warm water and unroll so the stack lies flat. Allow to soak fully submerged for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile mix beef, onion, rice, oregano, salt, pepper and 2/3 cup tomato juice together. Line the bottom of a heavy pot that has a tight fitting lid with a few of the grape leaves. Take one grape leaf at a time and after pinching off the stem stub, smooth open onto a flat surface, vein side up. Set aside any torn leaves to use later. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture onto the leaf and fold into a tight packet. Place the stuffed grape leaf into the pot with the seam side down. Repeat with remaining grape leaves, making sure to pack them into the pot as tightly as possible. After you have one layer, squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon over the top of that layer before beginning a second layer of dolmades. Repeat layering until you have used all of the meat mixture, about 4 times. Mix 1 cup tomato juice with 1 cup water and pour over the dolmades. Cover the top with grape leaves--torn ones are just fine. Place a weight onto the top (such as a foil packet with pie crust weights in it), cover the pot tightly and place over medium low heat. Cook for about 1 1/2 hours, checking after 45 minutes to make sure there is sufficient liquid in the pot. Add water if there is not. Check every 10 to 15 minutes after that. (You don't want the pot to dry out and the bottom layer to scorch.) Serve hot.

Hints:
I know that this wrapping is not the traditional way. Traditionally, the meat is placed by the stem to start and finished with the bottom of the leaf showing. I like the heavy veining to show on the finished dolmades, creating a star burst look.

 
Wrapping is done much like a burrito or egg roll. Be sure to make them tight. Pack them tight into the pot and place a weight onto them as they cook so that they will not expand too much and burst. A heavy plate that can withstand the heat will work. I have heard of people using stone weights, or bowls of ball bearings on top of a plate. Use your imagination, but be mindful of toxicity,  cleanliness and heat tolerance. Exploding rocks can really ruin your dinner plans.


The Greeks have been cooking for ages, literally. I  enjoy the combination of flavors and think that their cuisine is a healthy one overall. Their culture is classic, again literally. We owe much of our modern western thinking and attitudes to the ancient Greeks. And I can't even begin to describe the architectural influence I have experienced in my professional life. Timeless and rhythmic and elegant and serene and integrated. But that is another blog---

Simple AND Fabulous!

Inspired by a dessert at Kokkari in San Francisco (financial district). Perfect way to end a dinner or a great way to start the day (I have had this for breakfast more than once).

 Greek Yogurt with Honey, Dates and Walnuts
4 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons orange or tangerine zest
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon walnut oil (or butter)
3 cups Greek style plain yogurt
12 dates, pitted and cut into slivers
In a small bowl, mix honey with orange zest and set aside. In a small non-stick skillet, toast walnuts for about 2 minutes over medium high heat, stirring frequently. Sprinkle cinnamon and salt on nuts and continue to toast another 30 seconds --the cinnamon will become aromatic. Add oil and toss to coat. Cook an additional minute. Remove from heat and set aside. Scoop 2/3 cup yogurt onto each of 4 plates (or bowls). Top each with 1 tablespoon of the honey, 1/4 of the date slivers and 1/4 of the toasted walnuts. Serve immediately.

Hints: Use really good, thick yogurt. Use local, unfiltered, non-heat processed honey for best flavor. Toast the nuts carefully so they don't scorch but get golden. The cinnamon will darken them but they should not be burnt. The quality of the dates will matter, too. It is easy to decrease or increase the number of servings, however, the salt and oil may not need to be proportional--watch you don't use too much of either.  You can use more honey if you need to have it sweeter. And you can adjust the date and walnut ratio to your liking as well. Also, the yogurt can be as little as 1/2 cup or as great as 1 cup. I guess the amounts in this dish are totally flexible! I have written the recipe the way I like it--make it how you like it and we'll all be happy.

Bill and I had lovely dinner at Kokkari's and I told him I wanted dessert. He said he would just have a bit of mine. When the menu arrived, I told him he may want to reconsider because I didn't think he was going to like this. He asked what I was going to order, rolled his eyes at "Greek Yogurt with Honey" and let me order. I was glad that it came in such a generous portion because one bite and his eyes rolled for a different reason. This is really delightful!

Spanakopita--Here's to the Greeks!

Spanakopita

1 lb. fresh spinach

½ lb. feta cheese

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (optional)

½ cup chopped pine nuts (optional)

 8 ounces ( ½ package) filo dough, thawed

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil (approx.)

Cook cleaned spinach in microwave oven for 4 minutes. Remove to a colander and drain by placing a heavy bowl or pan on top for several minutes. If necessary, squeeze liquid out by hand. Meanwhile crumble feta into a mixing bowl. Chop drained spinach finely. Sprinkle spinach with salt. Add to cheese crumbles along with basil and pine nuts if using. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Open filo dough and unroll. Taking one sheet at a time, sprinkle each sheet with ½ teaspoon oil, fold in half, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon oil and fold in half again. Sprinkle with a bit more oil and then place a heaping tablespoon of spinach filling onto the corner. Fold into a triangle shape (like folding a flag) and tuck end into the last fold. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and repeat with remaining sheets. (Keep filo sheets covered with plastic wrap as you are working—they dry out quickly.) Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Hints: These are appetizer sized portions. Frozen chopped spinach can be used, make sure to drain it well. I have used dried basil (2 or 3 teaspoons) and it tastes ok. I really like the addition of the pine nuts and want to try adding chopped sun dried tomatoes too. Use really good olive oil because it will be a main flavor in the end product. The filo dough is very delicate to work with but beautifully crisp in the end. If sheets come apart while you are working with them don't worry, just use the pieces as best as you can to encase the filling. Do not fold the triangles too tightly--the filling will expand during baking from steam and a bit of room will prevent the filling from splitting the filo and oozing onto the baking sheet too badly.

I loved spanakopita from the very first bite I had in the basement of Crossroads Mall at Dasks Greek to Me. This recipe combines a pesto type flavor with the original that makes it even more appealing to my palate. My half Greek daughter-in-law has some fabulous family recipes that I hope to share on this blog some day--but only if the family says it is ok!