I Phyllo like a Potpie

 

My mother is 89 years old and finally had to quit driving. She sure misses the independence she had but she was losing her vision and it was no longer safe for her or anyone else. She plays bingo three days a week at the senior center and they provide free rides. She still loves to cook and my sister and I try to get her to the grocery store at least once a week.

 

Wednesday is the day the ads change and the new sales begin, so yesterday was our day to hit the grocery circuit. We started at the 99cent store and then hit the Albertson before we finally ended at the Fry’s. I have a sister who has worked for Fry’s for almost 30 years and it was her stores “Remodeling Grand Opening” and she said they would have samples. Ah, what could be better than free? They had cupcakes and cheese and Starbucks coffee and all kinds of stuff. We hung around and sampled everything. Needless to say we didn’t need to go out for lunch. For some reason hanging around a grocery store today inspired me or maybe it was just too much sugar. (Probably should have stopped at one cupcake.) Oh well, too late now.  

They were sampling this really good fully cooked pork and apple sausage. We cook out a lot so I thought it might be good to have around. I got home and realized I had no plan for dinner but I did have that fully cooked sausage and a roll of phyllo so we had a plan and this time it turned out pretty good. I know most people probably don’t have roll of thawed phyllo in their refrigerator but I bought the phyllo a while back and it was freezer clean out month for me. I also had leftover rice from Tuesday and a whole lot of canned vegetables. Here’s my recipe. Hope you enjoy.

 

        

Phyllo Sausage Pockets

1-roll phyllo dough, thawed (20 sheets)

2 Tablespoons sesame oil

3 sausage links, cooked, chopped

½ cup onion, diced 

¼ cup bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon ground ginger

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons pineapple preserves, optional

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1-15oz can mixed vegetables, drained

1 cup cooked rice

½ cup butter, melted

 

Sauté chopped sausage links, onion, pepper and garlic in sesame oil over medium heat until tender. Add ginger, soy sauce, pineapple preserves, red pepper flakes and can of vegetables.  Add rice and remove from heat.

Unroll phyllo and remove single sheet. Place sheet on smooth surface (countertop or parchment paper) and brush ½ of sheet with butter. Fold sheet and brush top with butter. Remove another sheet of phyllo and brush ½ with butter. Fold sheet and place it on top of 1^st sheet, crisscrossing sheets. Brush top of this sheet with butter. Repeat with additional sheet and place it on top of second sheet, pivoting slightly. Gently press phyllo into 12 count muffin pan and fill cup with sausage mixture. Fold outer edges of phyllo over mixture, brushing with butter as you layer. Top phyllo cup with butter. Repeat with remaining pockets. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Makes 12 pockets.  

 

These fun little pockets look elegant and taste great. The flaky phyllo dough adds a lightness which really compliments the sweet, salty taste of the pineapple and the sausage. I used pineapple preserves but you could also use teriyaki sauce in place of the soy for sweetness or if you don’t like sweetness, simply use soy and don’t add the pineapple preserves.