NEW VIDEO RECIPE: Phyllo Chicken Prosciutto Margherita

Phyllo Chicken Prosciutto Margherita

Dinner party food should not be about you as the host being chained to the stove while your guests entertain themselves. My idea of a successful dinner party includes dishes that can be prepared almost completely in advance and require a minimum of attention except for plating and serving.

Today's video recipe is a terrific example of how very easy it can be to accomplish that goal with confidence. You can have the phyllo wrapped pastry bundles prepared and placed on a baking sheet in the fridge hours in advance, ready yo pop into the oven when your guests arrive. The tomato jam/compote can be prepared on the stove top or in the oven and quickly warmed up when ready to serve. A meat thermometer will take the guess work out of telling when the chicken is perfectly cooked and when your guests cut into the crispy pastry, releasing the oozing cheese, they are sure to be impressed and will no doubt think that you put far more effort into the dish than is actually required.

The classic margherita flavors of tomato, basil and mozzarella cheese get joined by slightly salty, thinly sliced prosciutto ham which helps to season the chicken. When served with the naturally sweet tomato jam and perhaps a simple pasta primavera, it will be a menu your guests are sure to remember.

The roasted tomato jam can be prepared as a tomato compote on the stove top in a saute pan if you prefer. Just cook it down until most of the liquid is gone.

Put this one on your to-do list for the upcoming Holiday entertaining season.

Find the complete recipe for Phyllo Chicken Prosciutto Margherita by clicking here.

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Pear Almond Baklava Roll

Pear Almond Baklava Roll

This was a real clean-out-the-fridge dessert idea that I came up with last week when I needed dessert at the last minute and decided just to use what was on hand. There were several very ripe pears on the counter which needed to be consumed ASAP plus a half package of phyllo pastry already thawed. It also needed to be used quickly before it dried out. There was also a surplus of almonds thanks to a giant bag from Costco that I'm trying to use up.

I often make quick desserts by wrapping different fruits in phyllo pastry, so that would work for the pears that needed to be put to good use. Of course, phyllo pastry immediately makes me think of baklava which everyone at our house loves. Olivia recently brought home some rolled almond baklava from a vendor at the St. John's Farmers Market so that was also partly the inspiration for this dessert. Why not combine my phyllo wrapped fruit bundles and baklava? It came together very quickly, baked up to a beautiful golden brown and helped along by  honey with the toasted ground almonds between the layers, was absolutely delicious. I think an apple and walnut version can't be far behind.

Pear Almond Baklava Roll

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

A delicious dessert fusion that's a cross between almond honey baklava and a pear phyllo pastry bundle.

Prep time: Aproximately 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minute
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Ingredients

• 8 large sheets phyllo pastry (I used 12 x18 inch sheets)
• 3 large ripe pears, unpeeled, cored and sliced
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder (or cinnamon)
• 2 tsp corn starch
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup toasted ground almonds
• About 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Core and slice pears.
3. Mix together the sugar, spices and corn starch and toss well with the sliced pears.
4. On a clean counter top lay down the first sheet of phyllo pastry and brush it with melted butter. Add the second layer of phyllo.
5. For the next 4 layers of phyllo pastry, brush each later with butter, sprinkle on 1/4 cup ground almonds and drizzle with a honey. A squeeze bottle is best for drizzling the honey.
6. After those 4 layers finish with the remaining two sheets of phyllo pastry but these should only be brushed with butter.
7. Pile the prepared pears in a straight line on the shorter side of the pastry a couple of inches from the sides.
8. Fold the pastry a couple of inches over the ends of the line of pears to help seal the ends of the roll.
9. Roll the pastry up as tightly as possible.
10. Transfer the roll to a parchment lined baking sheet, making sure that the seam side of the pastry is on the bottom.
11. Brush the pastry with melted butter and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
12. Let the roll rest for 15-20 minutes before cutting and serving warm.
13. Delicious served with ice cream or warm custard too.

Apple Fig and Brie Phyllo Bundles

For the other three recipe ideas for a romantic dinner for two click here.

Here's a perfect little crispy, luscious bite to serve with cocktails or a glass of Prosecco before dinner.

Makes about 1 dozen

Peel and dice 

1 large apple

Add the apples to a saute pan along with

2 tbsp butter

pinch salt

1/4 tsp five spice powder

juice of half a lemon

Toss together over medium heat until the apples begin to soften but are still firm. Add:

1/2 cup chopped dry figs

Cook only for a minute or two more, remove from heat and allow to cool thoroughly.

1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 pkg frozen phyllo pastry
6-8 ounces brie cheese

Cut the pastry sheets into about 4x6 rectangles. Use four of these per hors d'ouevre. Lay one sheet of phyllo flat, brush with a little butter and repeat until you have a stack of 4 layers. Place a tablespoon of the fig apple mixture along with a small square of cheese at the center of short side of the rectangle, near the edge. Fold the sides in toward the middle, meeting almost at the center, almost covering the filling, then roll up like a spring roll. Place the bundles, seem side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until they are evenly golden brown. Cool for a few minutes before serving.

Spiced Pear Phyllo Bundles

The in-laws dropped by for lunch yesterday and I threw together these Spiced Pear Phyllo Bundles as a quick dessert. I make these in several versions. The recipe works well for apples, peaches or plums as well. I've even made them with mango. These can even be frozen before baking and then thawed and baked as needed. Just leave the egg wash and sugar off when freezing them and do those steps when the pastries have thawed before baking.

Makes 8 pastries

16 sheets frozen phyllo pastry (aprox 12x18 inch sheets)
¾ cup melted butter
½ cup sugar + more for sprinkling on the phyllo sheets
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp ground cardamom
4 large ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut in half
1 egg + 2 tbsp water (beaten together for eggwash)
Turbinado sugar (optional)

Mix together spices and ½ cup sugar and set aside.

Brush a sheet of phyllo pastry with butter and sprinkle the entire surface with about 1 tsp sugar. Top with a second sheet of phyllo pastry. Brush half this sheet with butter and sprinkle with about ½ tsp sugar. Fold the sheet in half to make about a 9x12 inch rectangle which will now have 4 layers of phyllo pastry. Place a pear half in the center of the shorter side of the rectangle and spoon about 2 tsp of the sugar and spice mixture over the pear half. Fold the two longest sides of the pastry to meet at the center of the sheet covering the pear half. Roll up the pear in the phyllo, leaving the seam on the bottom of the pastry covered pear.

Repeat for the other pear halves.

Brush the tops of the pastries with the egg wash and sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar if desired.

Place the pastries, seam side down on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is evenly golden brown.