Sausage & Mushroom Phyllo Twists

Author: chefs-mate Cooking Method: Baking Cuisine: American Courses: Appetisers

Difficulty: Advanced

Servings: 6 Calories: 1606.0

Description

These Sausage & Mushroom Phyllo Twists are the perfect savory appetizer for parties or game day. The filling combines savory pork sausage with earthy mushrooms, aromatic cumin, and fresh mint, bound together with creamy cream cheese. Encased in layers of buttery phyllo dough, these twists bake up golden and incredibly flaky. They offer a delightful contrast of textures: crisp pastry giving way to a tender, spiced meat filling. Easy to assemble and impressive to serve, they pair wonderfully with a glass of wine or as part of a larger charcuterie spread.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
In a large skillet, cook the sausage meat over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up any larger pieces, until cooked through and browned.
Transfer meat to a fine sieve and drain excess fat.
In the same skillet, cook the minced onion and garlic in the unsalted butter over moderately low heat until the onion is softened.
Add the chopped mushrooms and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the liquid the mushrooms release has evaporated.
Stir in the cumin, allspice, and mint, cooking for 2 minutes.
Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl. Add the drained sausage, parsley, cream cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Combine well.
Working quickly to prevent drying, lay 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface. Brush lightly with clarified butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of bread crumbs.
Lay another sheet of phyllo on top and brush lightly with remaining clarified butter.
Cut the layered sheets into thirds lengthwise and into quarters crosswise to form 12 squares.
Place a rounded teaspoon of the filling in the center of each square.
Gather the corners of the phyllo over the filling and twist gently to seal.
Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, crumbs, and filling.
Arrange twists on jelly-roll pans. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until phyllo is golden brown.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 1606.0kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 72.0g111%
Saturated Fat 25.6g128%
Cholesterol 81.1mg28%
Sodium 2005.3mg84%
Total Carbohydrate 194.4g65%
Dietary Fiber 13.5g54%
Sugars 11.6g
Protein 51.2g103%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Keep unused phyllo dough covered with a damp towel while assembling to prevent it from drying out and cracking.

Clarified butter works best for brushing the phyllo as it is less likely to burn and provides a crispier texture. You can substitute with melted regular butter if clarified is not available.

For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and increase the amount of mushrooms or add sauted spinach and ricotta cheese to the filling.

These twists are best served warm or at room temperature. They can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated, then baked just before serving.

Sausage & Mushroom Phyllo Twists