Spicy Lamb Sausage & Walnuts in Phyllo Pastry Triangles
DESCRIPTION
Flavorfully seasoned lamb and walnuts in thin rich pastry makes for tempting finger food.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup onion, diced
- 1/4 cup fennel, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds lamb sausage
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, ground
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander, ground
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin, ground
- 1/2 cup California walnuts, toasted
- 2 tablespoons chives, fresh, chopped
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons water
- 12 sheets (1/2 pound) phyllo dough, commercially prepared
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- Coarse salt as needed
- Black pepper, freshly ground as needed
Preparation
- Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, fennel and garlic and sauté about 4 minutes, until softened. Add sausage and cook, breaking up sausage with spatula, for 5 minutes. Add paprika, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander and cumin. Cook 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in walnuts and chives and remove from heat. You will have about 3 1/2 cups sausage mixture. Set aside.
- Whisk egg and water together and set aside.
- To form phyllo pastry triangles, cut 1 sheet of phyllo in half length-wise. Fold each half in half lengthwise, thus making 2 strips each about 3 inches wide. (Keep any phyllo you are not working on covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel.) Brush each strip lightly with melted butter.
- Place about 3 tablespoons sausage mixture to the left end of each strip. working with one strip at a time, fold corner of phyllo over filling on a diagonal, so left edge of strip is flush with bottom edge. Continue folding, as you would fold a flag, thus forming a triangular packet.
- Repeat buttering, filling and folding with remaining phyllo sheets. Brush tops of finished pastries with egg mixture and set aside.
- Place phyllo triangles on parchment covered sheet pan and bake in a preheated 350°F oven about 15 minutes, until crisp and golden. Serve hot.