A little pastry makes everything more delicious. So does a little dijon mustard. And butter.
The idea for this dish is not mine, but I've been making them for so many years that I no longer have the original recipe to attribute to. It took me some time to work up the guts to try this recipe in the first place. I was afraid of working with phyllo dough. So many recipes that use it give caution after caution...handle it gently lest it break...work quickly lest it dry out...keep it covered at all times with a damp towel...brush lightly...fold carefully...it just seemed like a food product that was more trouble than it was worth. Boy, was I wrong!
First of all, phyllo is not hard to work with. It may tear a bit...that's OK. It may get a bit dry as you work...that's OK. You don't really need to be working at super-speed or with damp towels or anything like that. Most preparations using phyllo involve brushing oil or butter between the layers and as we know, butter fixes everything. It works as a glue to hold the phyllo sheets in place, it patches tears, it moisturizes dry dough. You and your phyllo will be A-OK.
Where to get phyllo? If you're really bonkers, you can make it yourself (I most emphatically do not). It comes frozen, usually in the area where frozen pies and Cool Whip live (usually next to the puff pastry). You'll need to put it in the fridge overnight or on the counter for about 4 hours before it's workable. The brand I buy comes in 1 lb. boxes which contain two plastic-sealed tubes of rolled phyllo sheets. You'll only need one tube for this recipe. You can use the 2nd tube to make more of this recipe or make some genuine Greek goodies like spanakopita (spinach and cheese pies), teropita (like spanakopita, but without the spinach) or baklava.
If you make these ahead to freeze, you will need to be attentive to wrapping them very, very well in plastic wrap. In prepping them to cook immediately, you don't need to worry so much about the phyllo drying out, but for longer storage, drying does become a problem. I wrap each packet individually in plastic wrap before putting them in a larger ziptop bag to make very sure they're protected. And then of course, when you bake them off, a healthy brush of oil or butter goes a long way toward correcting any freezer dehydration they may have suffered.
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