Mini Fillo Apple Pies

Ingredients

makes 6 pies

4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1 cm cubes

25 g butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla paste

1 tbsp corn flour or arrowroot powder

150 g butter, melted

12 sheets Antoniou Fillo Pastry

flaked almonds and brown sugar to garnish 

Method

In a medium saucepan, combine the apples, butter, sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and corn flour.  

Allow the mixture to cook for 5 mins on a medium heat until the apples have softened and the mixture has thickened. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

To make the pies, take one sheet of fillo and place on a clean bench, the longer edge facing you.  

Brush with melted butter and repeat with one more piece of fillo stacked on top. Brush the second piece of fillo with butter as well.

Place your fingertips in the centre of the fillo and pinch it softly (see image above).  Use your other hand, twist the edges around your fingers in a circular motion to create a cup for the apple pie filling (this motion will create a rose effect on the top of the pie).

Place 2 tablespoons of the apple pie mixture into the “cup”, then fold the edges of the fillo back over the mixture to cover. Turn the pie upside down and place in a well buttered muffin tin to reveal the twirled top.  

Brush liberally with butter and garnish with a little brown sugar and a few flaked almonds.   Repeat with the remaining fillo and pie mixture until you have 6 pies.

Cook in a pre heated 180 deg C oven for 20-22 mins until golden brown.  Serve immediately with ice cream.

Recipe, styling and photography by Souvlaki for the Soul

Kataifi Discs

Ingredients

Makes 15 discs

Kataifi Discs

375g Kataifi Pastry

150g melted ghee (we use Pepe Saya)

Savoury Disc Seasoning options

paprika

parmesan cheese

sesame seeds

Dessert Disc Topping

3/4 cup mascarpone

1 cup nutella

pinch of salt

fresh raspberries
 

Method

Preheat your oven to 200 deg C and line a large tray with baking paper.

Pour the ghee through the kataifi, mixing with your hands until all the strands are evenly coated. 

Using a 10cm cookie cutter as your mould place roughly 25 grams (a small bundle) of the kataifi in the mould and squash down to form a disc. Repeat with the remaining kataifi until you have 15 discs.

Sprinkle with a topping of your choosing for additional flavour, paprika, parmesan cheese, or even sesame seeds. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with your favourite winter soup or curry for that extra crunch..

Dessert canapé 

For a canape size Kataifi disc, use a smaller cookie cutter around 4cm in diameter and repeat the above process.

Top a cooled Kataifi disc with a teaspoon of Nutella, followed by a teaspoon mascarpone and garnish with a halved fresh raspberry. 

Serve immediately.

Beef & Vege Fillo Rolls

Ingredients

makes 4 fillo rolls

For the onions and capsicums:

2 tbsp olive oil

3 red onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

2 capsicums, thinly sliced

salt and pepper to season

For the mushrooms:

50g butter

250g mushrooms

1tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper to season

500g sirloin, cut into thin strips

1 cup grated mozzarella

12 sheets Antoniou Fillo Thick Pastry (or 16 sheets regular fillo pastry)

olive oil spray

1 egg, lightly beaten

sesame seeds

mustard to serve

 

Method

Heat the olive oil in a pan on a low/medium heat.  Add the onions and capsicums, season with salt and pepper and cook slowly until golden and cooked through. (This should take approx. 15 mins.) Place the cooked onions and capsicums in a bowl and set aside.

Heat the butter in the same pan over a high heat, add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until golden brown. Once the mushrooms have reduced by half, stir in the parsley and place the mixture in another bowl and set aside.

Heat a little extra olive oil in the same pan and cook the thinly cut sirloin very quickly, making sure not to over cook it.

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C and line a tray with baking paper.

To make the rolls lay one sheet of fillo with the longer edge facing you and spray with olive oil. Repeat this process with 2 more sheets until you have a stack of 3 sheets.

Start by placing a quarter of the onion/capsicum mixture in an even line (measuring approx. 15cm) in the centre of the fillo. 

Add one quarter of the meat on top, followed by a quarter of the mushrooms and then top with some  grated cheese.

Fold the shorter edges in over the filling and proceed to roll up from the long side to enclose the layered mixture forming a roll.

Brush the seams with a little egg to ensure it is sealed. Repeat with the remaining fillo and ingredients until you have 4 rolls.

Brush each roll with beaten egg, sprinkle with sesame seed and bake for 25 mins until golden.

Allow to cool for 10 mins. before serving with some mustard.

Recipe, styling and photography by Souvlaki for the Soul

Kataifi Eton Mess

Ingredients

375g Kataifi Pastry

100g Butter, melted

Whipped cream

Macerated strawberries

250g strawberries, hulled & halved

1-2 tbsp caster sugar

Juice of half a lemon or lime

Method

Take half a packet of kataifi pastry and place it in a bowl (place the remainder back in the fridge, sealed tightly in its packet).  Loosen the kataifi strands with your fingers to separate. 

Pour over the melted butter and mix through with your hands, ensuring all strands are evenly coated.

Place the kataifi pastry on a lined baking tray, in a moderate oven for approx. 10 mins or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven & allow to cool. Break up with your hands to a chunky crumb consistency & set aside.

Place the cut strawberries, sugar & lemon/lime juice in a bowl, stirring through until the strawberries are well coated.  Cover and place in the fridge for a minimum of 30mins.  The longer you leave the strawberries to soak, the softer and more of a liquid they become. 

To assemble each eton mess, layer in each glass, the strawberries, cream and a sprinkling or kataifi crumb.  Repeat until the glass is full.

Recipe, styling and photography by Souvlaki for the Soul

Kataifi Fruit Cups

Ingredients

Makes 5 cups

375 g packet Antoniou Kataifi pastry

150 g butter, melted

Fresh fruit, roughly chopped

3 cups yoghurt, cream or ice cream

Garnish options

Melted dark chocolate

Grated chocolate

Nuts

Lime zest

Biscuit, crumbled

Method

Preheat your oven to 200 deg C and line a large tray with baking paper.

Pour the melted butter through the kataifi and mix with your hands until well combined.

Using a 7cm cookie cutter as your mould, place 25 grams of the kataifi in the mould and press down to form a disc.*

Repeat with the remaining kataifi until you have 15 discs.

Cook in the oven for 10 mins or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before using.

Prepare your fruit cups by placing a kataifi disc on the bottom of the glass. Add cream or yoghurt, followed by fruit & garnish. Repeat this method until the cup is full (approx. 3 discs). 

*Note: Measure your serving glasses to ensure you use the right size cookie cutter for a perfect fit.

Recipe, styling and photography by Souvlaki for the Soul

Kataifi Nests with Vanilla Panna Cotta

Ingredients

Makes 4 panna cotta

Kataifi Nests

Half a 375 packet Kataifi pastry

Butter or ghee, melted (we use Pepe Saya)

Pana Cotta

400ml milk

400ml pouring cream

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

150g of caster sugar

2 titanium strength gelatine leaves

Method

Kataifi Nests

Tease the Kataifi pastry apart with your fingers to loosen and place in a bowl (Place remainder back in the packet, sealed tightly for later use).

Pour over melted ghee, mixing with your hands to ensure the ghee is evenly distributed over the Kataifi pastry.

Pull away small bundles, roughly 10cm in length and begin twisting.

Place the twisted kataifi on a lined baking tray, arranging in a donut or nest shape.  Repeat with remaining pastry until you have as many nests as you need.  

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack and then place on top of your set panna cotta, with any fruit of your choice.

Panna Cotta

Over a medium heat, bring the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla seeds and pod to a simmer, stirring regularly until the sugar dissolves. Then remove from the heat.

Place one gelatine leaf at a time into cold water to soften together (this will ensure they don’t stick) for about 30 seconds.

Once soft, squeeze out excess water and whisk the gelatine leaves into the warm cream to dissolve.

Strain the mixture into a large jug through a fine sieve. Pour into small decorative glasses.

Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or until set.

Sesame Fillo Scrolls

Ingredients

For the syrup

175 g caster sugar

250 ml water

1/2 lemon - zest and juice

For the filling

250 g toasted sesame seeds

100 g ground walnuts

100 g breadcrumbs

75 g brown sugar

200 ml tahini

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

15 sheets Antoniou Fillo Pastry

200 g melted dairy-free margarine

Method

Combine ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the syrup slightly thickens. Set aside and allow to cool.

Preheat your oven to 170 deg C.

In a large bowl combine the ingredients for the filling, ensuring it is mixed well and the mixture resembles a grainy “sand like” texture.

Take one sheet of fillo and lay it on the bench with the longer edge facing you. Drizzle with the melted margarine and with a good handful of the sesame mixture, sprinkle it over the fillo ensuring it is distributed evenly.

Repeat with three more layers of fillo, the sesame mixture and then finish with a fourth sheet of fillo.

With the longer edge still facing you, roll the layered sheets away from you to carefully form a long roll.

Use a sharp knife and cut the roll into 3 cm pieces (you should get approx. 15 pieces form each roll). Arrange the cut pieces into a 28 cm baking dish ensuring they are packed tightly. Repeat with the remaining fillo and sesame mixture to make 3 more rolls.

Bake in the oven for 45 mins until golden brown. Remove from the oven, pour the cooled syrup over the pie immediately and allow to cool.

Serve with coffee.

Recipe, styling and photography by Souvlaki for the Soul

Pork & Shiitake Fillo Pot Stickers

Ingredients

Makes 36 pot stickers

9 sheets Antoniou Fillo Pastry

Peanut oil for brushing

Pork & shiitake filling

500g pork mince

4 shiitake mushrooms, finely diced

100 g canned water chestnuts, finely diced

1 tsp ginger, freshly grated

2 tbsp chives, finely diced

1 tbsp corn flour

1 tsp white pepper

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp Chinese rice wine

1 tsp sesame oil

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C and line a large tray with baking paper.

Combine the ingredients for the pork & shiitake filing in a bowl and set aside.

Take a sheet of fillo and lay on a bench with the longer side facing you. Brush liberally with peanut oil. Repeat with two more sheets until you have a three sheet “stack”.

Cut the fillo sheets to form 12 squares (each one measuring approx. 10cm x 10cm).

Take a square and place one tbsp of the pork mixture in the centre.

Fold over two of the opposite corners to meet in the centre and pinch to seal (see image above). Fold the two remaining corners to form a four-point square, creating a neat parcel. Seal with extra peanut oil to ensure it sticks.

Repeat with the reaming fillo pastry stacks & pork mixture.

To cook the pot stickers, heat a non-stick pan on medium high heat with a little peanut oil. Place the pot stickers in the pan and cook for 2 mins or until a golden brown colour is achieved on the bottom. Remove from the pan and cook in the oven for a further 15 mins until the entire pot sticker is golden brown.

Serve with soy sauce, ginger and chilli sauce.

Recipe, styling and photography by Souvlaki for the Soul

Lemon Curd & Custard Kataifi Tart

Ingredients

160g Kataifi pastry (a bit less than half a packet)

75g melted butter

Lemon Curd

½ cup caster sugar

Zest of 2 lemons

Juice of 1 lemon

3 egg yolks

75g butter, cubed

Vanilla Custard

2 cups full cream milk

2 eggs

2 heaped tbsp. corn flour

1 tbsp sugar (to taste)

1 vanilla bean, seeds

Method

Preheat your oven to 170 deg C.

Place the kataifi in a bowl separating the strands with your fingers to loosen the bundle.

Pour the melted butter over the kataifi working through with your hands to ensure the pastry is evenly coated.

Take small handfuls of the kataifi, laying across the pie dish, stretching out to cover the base and up the sides.  Continue with remaining kataifi until the dish is covered.

Bake for 12 mins or until golden brown. Allow the pie base to cool in the pan for 5 mins before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Fill the kataifi pie base with the cooled custard, followed by the lemon curd and top with fresh raspberries or fresh fruit of your choice.  Serve immediately.

For the lemon curd

Place the sugar, lemon juice, zest and egg yolks in a bowl over a heavy-based saucepan filled with a little water on medium heat.

Whisk constantly for 10 to 15 minutes, or until mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon.

Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in butter until combined. Cover surface with cling wrap and place in the fridge for 2 hours or until chilled.

For the vanilla custard

Heat the eggs, milk, sugar, corn flour and vanilla in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. 

Stir continuously until the custard begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon. 

Leave the custard to cool completely before pouring into the cooled tart case.

Kataifi Prawns

Ingredients

Makes 20 prawns

1kg extra large green prawns (about 20), heads removed, peeled, deveined, tails intact

200g Antoniou Kataifi Pastry

100g butter, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Lemon wedges

Method

1. Start the recipe by preheating your oven to 200 deg C and line a baking tray with baking paper

2. Peel and devein prawns, leaving tails intact.

3. Place the kataifi pastry in a bowl and loosen until strands are separated.

4. Pour the butter over the kataifi, gently massaging into the pastry, ensuring all the strands are evenly coated.

5. Tear a small handful of kataifi, (approx. 10g) away from the bundle and lay in a long strip on the bench.

6. Dip a prawn into the egg mixture, then place at the base of the kataifi strip.

7. Proceed to roll the prawn away from you, wrapping the kataifi around tightly. 8. Repeat with the remaining prawns and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.

9. Garnish with a sprinkling of parsley and fresh lemon wedges.  Also try serving with a spicy mayo or chopped fresh coriander and freshly squeezed lime.

Note:
Kataifi prawns are just as delicious deep fried. Follow the same preparation method for the prawns, skipping steps 4 & 6, then simply deep-fry in any vegetable oil.

Recipe, styling and photography by Souvlaki for the Soul