I made these appetizer-sized phyllo bites last month for my Lenten Greek Supper Club. These look pretty and they really aren’t too hard to assemble but the filling was a challenge. You see, I had to make a filling that would be flavourful, vegetarian (for Lent) and come up with an ingredient that would bind the filling.

You can use any filling you like, switch up the vegetables or try a more traditional filling like spinach and Feta, Leeks and Feta or Feta/ricotta filling. All these fillings and more can be found in my Everything Mediterranean cookbook.

Phyllo Beggar’s Purses With Greens

(makes 24)

Filling

1 pkge of blanched greens or 1 1/2 cups (spinach, kale, etc) or thawed from frozen

2 medium Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, boiled with skins on in salted water

4 scallions, finely chopped and sweated/cooked in 2 Tbsp. of olive oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

salt and pepper to taste

Phyllo Purses

1 1/2 sticks of uns

1. Carefully unroll phyllo. Immediately cover it with plastic wrap and then a damp towel. Keep phyllo covered as you work.

6 sheets of Krinos phyllo pastry (thawed from frozen)

1. Squeeze the excess liquid out of the greens with your hands and chop, add to a medium bowl. While still warm, peel your potatoes and use a box grater to grate them into a bowl along with the scallions, dill, mint, salt and pepper and mix well with a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning again, set aside.
2. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface. Lightly brush phyllo with melted butter; place another sheet on top, and brush with butter; place a third sheet of phyllo on top, and brush with butter. Cut into four rectangles.
3. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each square and use your fingers to lift the four corners into the middle. Gather up the phyllo and lightly twist to form a tight purse. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
4. Repeat with the remaining 3 phyllo sheets. Lightly dab melted butter on the tops of each purse and pre-heat your oven to 350F, middle rack.
5. Place your rack of phyllo purses in the pre-heated oven and bake for approx. 20 minutes or until golden.
6. Take out of the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully remove from the tray, blot any excess butter on the bottoms with paper towel and place on a serving platter. Serve warm.