Mini Filo Pastry Bites

Makes 48 little cases from one packet of filo. Recipe by Naomi Hansell.

Filo pastry cases are so versatile and make a very pretty nibble to serve with drinks or as part of a selection of dishes. Vary the fillings as you like, these cases can be used for sweet as well as savoury fillings.

This recipe uses ready made filo pastry which is usually suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Homemade filo pastry is fun to make too - it should be rolled thin enough to read the newspaper through it! Unused filo can easily be frozen to use later.

Ingredients

A packet of filo pastry - approx 250g - 300g with 7 or 8 sheets

25g melted butter

Your choice of fillings - see below

How to make the cases

First put the butter in a small dish on the back of the AGA or in the AGA warming oven to melt.

Without unrolling the pastry, cut it into 4 equally sized pieces. Any not needed at this point can be wrapped and frozen to use another time.

Unroll one of the pieces and cut into squares - this will be 4 - 6 per section depending on the dimensions of the pastry. Each pile will have 7 or 8 pieces from each sheet. Repeat with the remaining pastry to give a pile of approx 100 pieces.

Take a square and brush one side with melted butter, place another square on top but offset and brush with butter. Pick up the two sheets together and press into the tin. Repeat with the remaining filo sheets.

Bake in the AGA roasting oven for 10 mins until lightly browned. Cool and store in an airtight container or freeze until needed.

Savoury Fillings

The deli counter of a good supermarket can provide plenty of inspiration for fillings for the filo cases as well as simple ideas like some leftover roast chicken or roasted vegetables, a little mayonnaise or hummus and some fresh herbs. Make sure to add a little garnish to each one such as a sprig of parsley, some toasted nuts or seeds or a little chilli for colour and as a clue as to the filling. Don't forget to season each filling to your liking.

Spiced Chicken with Banana and Cardamom Raita

Finely slice a chicken breast and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Or use 2 tsp curry powder in place of individual spices. Roast the chicken in the AGA roasting oven for 20 mins or until cooked through. Cool then slice thinly into 1cm long pieces. Make a raita by mixing 50g natural yogurt, 50g double cream, 1/4 tsp crushed cardamom seeds, 1/4 banana, finely chopped, a tbsp. sultanas. Season with salt. This raita can be made several days in advance. You will also need a tbsp of flaked toasted almonds.To assemble, put a slice or two of chicken in each filo case, top with a teaspoon of raita and a few flaked almonds.

Garlic Prawns with Avocado

Pan fry a few large prawns in a little butter and crushed garlic. Cool and set aside or keep chilled in the fridge for 48 hours. To assemble, half, peel, destone and slice a ripe avocado into 1cm pieces. Toss with little lemon juice, salt and pepper. Spoon into the filo cases with a few garlic prawns. Finish with a little parsley or fresh herb.

Artichoke Dip (vg)

Put a teaspoon of artichoke dip (either warm or cold) into each filo case. Top with a little piece of little gem lettuce, a chive or two or other green herb and a grind of black pepper.

Hummus and Roasted Pepper (vg)

Roast a whole pepper in the AGA roasting oven for 30 mins. Cool in a covered bowl and then deseed and peel - the skin will come away easily once cooled. Chop into very small pieces and season with salt and pepper. Put a teaspoon of hummus into each filo case, top with a little roasted pepper and a sprig of flat leaf parsley. Add a few whole cooked chickpeas if you have some, too. Roasting some chickpeas tossed with a little olive oil, cumin or paprika and salt in the roasting oven for 20 - 30 mins until crunchy makes a nice topping too.

Bacon, Brie and Cranberry

Add some brie to bottom of the case and top with cranberry sauce and bake as stated. Meanwhile, fry some streaky bacon on the bake-o-glide until crispy. Garnish the tarts with bite-size pieces of bacon.

Feta & Spinach (v)

Creamy feta cheese and spinach encased in delicate filo pastry, topped with toasted pine nuts and baked until golden. Roasted pumpkin or butternut squash also makes a great addition.

Sweet Fillings

The cases can be used for sweet mouthfuls too. Here are a few homemade ideas...

Banoffee Style

Fill the case with caramel sauce, a thinly sliced banana round, whipped cream, topped with chocolate shavings and a dried banana chip.

Fresh Fig, Honey & Mascarpone Cream

Place halved figs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with a generous amount of brown sugar and a few leaves of rosemary. Broil in the roasting oven just until sugar has caramelised. Be careful not to burn the sugar. To make the creamy filling, whip the mascarpone or cream cheese and add a good dollop of yogurt and honey. Whip until silky smooth. Fill the cooled tart shell with the creamy filling and top with the roasted figs and a drizzle of honey. You could also make this a savoury filling, by using goat's cheese as the creamy element.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse (vg)

In a bowl, mix a can of full fat coconut cream or milk. Make sure to discard the watery part or save for another recipe. Add 30g cocoa powder, 3-4 tbsp, 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract.Blend to a smooth thick moussey consistency. For extra indulgence, add 2-3 tbsp smooth peanut butter and sprinkle some crushed peanuts on the top. This recipe also works well with hazelnuts.

Creamy Coconut Bliss (vg)

With a stand mixer or an electric whisk, whip a can of full fat coconut cream or milk and sweeten with icing sugar. Top the coconut cream with exotic fruits marinated in the zest and juice of 1 lime and mint.

Berry Delicious

Simple vanilla whipped cream topped with fresh berries. Garnish with fresh mint and glaze the fruit with apricot jam for extra shine.

This recipe was part of our online AGA cooking demonstration produced and presented by AGA specialist, Naomi Hansell. To find out more about when our next demonstration is and how to book, please click here.