Chevre and Pistachio Wrapped in Filo

Picture
Ingredients
3/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped to cornmeal consistency
1/4 cup chevre (goat cheese)
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon theyme, chopped
1 teaspoon basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon tarragon, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dill, chopped
1 teaspoon chives, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and white pepper to taste
4 sheets filo dough
butter melted, as needed

Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Combine the nuts, cheeses, herbs, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Lay out a sheet of filo dough and brush with melted butter. Lay another sheet of filo dough on top of the first sheet. Repeat with other two sheets. Cut each double sheet into four 3-inch (7.6 cm)-wide strips.
  4. Place 1 tablespoon (½ ounce, 15 ml) of filling at one end of the strip, then fold the dough over diagonally from one side to the other, all the way down the strip. Continue this procedure with all 8 strips.
  5. Transfer the triangles to a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Brush the goat cheese triangles with melted butter and bake until golden brown.

Critique
Chef: nice color, good flavor, phyllo cooked perfectly, bottom brown, but not burnt; filling is tight, nice job folding--this is just how these are supposed to be.

Personal, team: I thought the phyllo was nicely cooked, but I would have liked more filling to phyllo ratio. It seemed like I didn't get enough of the goat cheese flavor.

Lessons Learned: Phyllo is a tricky ingredient to work with for many reasons. it can tear easily, it can dry out and become unpleasant textue, but if you use too much butter, it becomes overly greasy. Practice working with it and balancing how much filling is the right amount and how to gently use the dough is the only way to learn how to use it effectively.