Phyllo Crisps Food

PISTACHIO PHYLLO CRISPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Finely grind pistachios in an electric coffee/spice grinder, then stir in sugar.
• Cut phyllo sheet crosswise into 3 equal pieces, then stack pieces between wax paper and cover stack With a lightly dampened kitchen towel. Arrange 1 piece of phyllo on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and brush with some butter. Sprinkle with half of pistachio sugar and top with another piece of phyllo. Brush phyllo with some butter and sprinkle with remaining pistachio sugar. Top with remaining piece of phyllo, pressing down gently, and brush with some butter. Chill stack 10 minutes.
• Using rim of a ramekin as a guide, cut out 2 (4-inch) rounds with a sharp paring knife and discard scraps. Cover rounds with a piece of parchment and bake in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool crisps on baking sheet on a rack.

HERB PHYLLO CRISP

Steps:

• For ratatouille: Saute each vegetable in olive oil separately until tender. Return the vegetables to a large saucepan, adding garlic, tomatoes, tomato juice and remaining olive oil. Reduce by two thirds or until liquid is like a paste. Season with salt and pepper and add a handful of chopped herbs. Allow to cool completely. Herb phyllo crisp: Working with phyllo can be tricky for a first time user, but if you'll remember a few simple steps you will always have success.
• a. Never buy just one box, since some sheets are torn or matted together.
• b. Make sure the box is completely thawed out before attempting any dish.
• c. Always cover sheets not being used with a damp cloth towel; phyllo will dry out and turn to cracker mill right before your eyes.
• Unfold phyllo sheets out of the box and cover with a wet cloth. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chopped herbs in a workable container, pour melted butter into a workable container, have your paint brush ready, then clean your work space. The idea is to layer melted butter and chopped herbs in between layers of phyllo, brush with melted butter, sprinkle with chopped herbs and repeat for 3 layers. With a sharp knife, cut 6 even strips going vertically and then cut 4 even strips horizontally, making 24 even squares.
• Carefully mold each square into each space of the muffin pan until all are completed. Place in the middle rack and bake for 2 to 3 1/2 minutes. They cook very quickly. Remove from pan. Repeat this step until you have enough phyllo crisps for your party.
• Fill herb phyllo crisps with room temperature ratatouille, a small spoon of goat cheese, and you are ready to serve.

PHYLLO PECAN CRISPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a food processor grind pecans with sugar until finely chopped. In a piece of parchment paper on a work surface arrange 1 phyllo sheet and brush with some butter. Sprinkle phyllo sheet evenly with half of pecan sugar and top with a second phyllo sheet, some butter, remaining pecan sugar, and remaining phyllo sheet, pressing down gently with your fingers and brushing with some butter. Slide a baking sheet under parchment and chill phyllo 10 minutes.
• Transfer phyllo with parchment to a cutting board and with sharp knife cut stack lengthwise into 2-inch-wide strips, cutting through parchment and discarding excess. Cut each rectangle diagonally in half and transfer triangles on parchment to baking sheet, separating triangles slightly. Cover triangles directly with another parchment sheet and bake in lower third of oven 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool crisps on baking sheet on a rack. Crisps keep in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.

PHYLLO CRISP OYSTERS WITH REMOULADE

Steps:

• Make the Remoulade: Remove the shell from the egg, and chop it or run it through the large holes of a box grater. Whip the creme fraiche to medium peaks and add the egg, chives, capers, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the Oysters: Mix the water into the tempura flour and refrigerate. Shuck the oysters and set aside. Reserve half of the shells for presentation and scrub them clean. On a clean work surface, lay out the shredded phyllo.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a medium-sized pot to 350 degrees F. (To check without a thermometer, drop a small amount of the tempura batter into the oil--it should sizzle quickly rise to the surface.) Adjust the burner to keep the temperature constant.
• Working with 1 oyster at a time, dredge in flour, dip in the tempura mix, and then roll around in the shredded phyllo to completely cover. Fry the oysters, turning them occasionally with a fork, until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
• On a tray large enough to accommodate all of the oysters, form a bed of rock salt, peppercorns, and seaweed. Place the cleaned shells on the tray, spoon a dollop of the remoulade into each one, and top with an oyster.

PHYLLO CRISPS

Steps:

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Have a second baking sheet ready.
• Combine the orange zest with the sugar in a small bowl, using your fingertips to rub the orange zest into the sugar to release its essential oils. Add the cinnamon and cardamom and mix to combine.
• Place 2 sheets phyllo on the parchment-lined baking sheet. (When working with phyllo, always keep a clean, moist kitchen towel over the stack of dough that you're not handling. Phyllo is very thin and will dry out quickly, becoming brittle and impossible to work with.) Using a pastry brush, gently apply a thin layer of melted butter to the top sheet of phyllo and sprinkle liberally with some spiced sugar. Place another 2 sheets phyllo dough on top of the first layer and press lightly. Brush with a little more melted butter and sprinkle with more spiced sugar. Then top with 2 sheets phyllo and, once again, lightly brush with butter and sprinkle with spiced sugar. You may have some leftover spiced sugar.
• Completely cover the layered phyllo with damp paper towels or plastic wrap to prevent the fragile phyllo dough from drying out and cracking and refrigerate until the butter returns to a solid state, at least 10 minutes. (Don't worry, the sugar didn't stick to the damp paper towels, even though we thought it might.)
• Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
• When the butter is solid, remove and discard the paper towels or plastic wrap. Using a pizza cutter or a very sharp knife, cut the layers into approximately 2-inch (5-centimeter) squares. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and the second baking sheet to weight the phyllo for baking- this ensures that they puff just enough to be flaky while still maintaining a crisp, linear look.
• Bake the phyllo crisps for 10 minutes. The crisps should be lightly browned, especially along the edges. Remove the top baking sheet and rotate the bottom baking sheet 180°, then bake for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the crisps become evenly golden, crisp, and flaky.
• While the crisps are baking, place the honey in the microwave for 20 seconds or in a small saucepan over low heat for 1 minute. You want the honey to be warm and runny and spreadable.
• Immediately after removing the phyllo crisps from the oven, brush them with the warm honey and sprinkle with a pinch granulated sugar (or, if desired, any leftover spiced sugar). Let cool at room temperature. The crisps are best served fresh that day but can be covered with parchment paper and kept overnight at room temperature.

PEAR AND APPLE PHYLLO CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees with a rack in top position. Combine pecans, breadcrumbs, sugar, and cinnamon.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment, and top with 1 phyllo sheet. Brush phyllo all over with butter, and sprinkle pecan mixture evenly over top. Repeat 4 times. Top with remaining phyllo sheet, and brush with all but 2 tablespoons butter.
• Slice pears and apples 1/8 inch thick; discard seeds. Arrange pear and apple slices in a single layer on phyllo, leaving space between fruit and a 1/4-inch border around edges. Brush fruit with reserved 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle with sugar, and dust with cinnamon. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until phyllo is golden brown and fruit is soft, 28 to 32 minutes. Let cool slightly. Cut into 8 pieces.

CHAI-SPICED CRèME CARAMELS WITH RASPBERRIES AND PISTACHIO PHYLLO CRISPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Bring milk, cream, cardamom, peppercorns, fennel seeds, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a boil in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook granulated sugar in a dry small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, swirling pan (to help sugar melt evenly), until sugar is melted into a deep golden caramel. Immediately pour caramel into ramekins, tilting to cover bottoms evenly.
• Whisk together whole egg and yolk in a large bowl. Bring spiced milk to a boil again, then add to eggs in a slow stream, whisking. Pour custard base through a fine sieve into a 2-cup measure. Add brown sugar and a pinch of salt, then stir until sugar is dissolved. Divide custard between ramekins.
• Bake custards in a water bath in middle of oven until set but still trembling slightly, about 30 minutes. (Custards will continue to set as they cool.) Remove ramekins from water and cool crème caramels on a rack. Chill, loosely covered with plastic wrap, until cold, at least 3 hours.
• Just before serving, run a knife around inside edges of ramekins. Arrange raspberries, open ends up, over entire surface of custards, pressing gently to adhere. Place a pistachio phyllo crisp over each ramekin and invert onto a plate, then carefully remove ramekins.

PEAR CLAFOUTIS WITH PHYLLO CRISPS, CIDER SAUCE, AND QUINCE SORBET

Steps:

• Make phyllo crisps:
• Arrange 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface (keep remaining sheets covered), then brush with some butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Cut sheet in half crosswise to form 2 rectangles and crumple each into a peaked free-form round, about 4 inches in diameter. Transfer to a baking sheet with a metal spatula and form 4 more crisps in same manner with remaining phyllo, butter, and sugar. Let dry, uncovered, at room temperature at least 8 hours.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.
• Bake crisps until golden, 2 to 4 minutes (watch closely, since they burn easily). Transfer with spatula to a rack to cool.
• Make pastry cream:
• Whisk together yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar in a metal bowl. Sift flour and cornstarch into bowl and whisk until combined well.
• Scrape seeds from vanilla beans with a sharp knife into a small heavy saucepan, reserving pods for another use. Add milk and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and bring to a boil.
• Add hot milk to egg mixture in a stream, whisking, and transfer to saucepan. Simmer, whisking, 3 minutes, then remove pan from heat and whisk in butter.
• Force pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and chill, its surface covered with wax paper, 1 hour.
• Make almond cream:
• Beat together butter, sugar, flours, and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg and beat well.
• Cook pears:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F.
• Peel pears, then quarter lengthwise and core. Melt butter in a 12-inch ovenproof heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté pears, turning occasionally, 2 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over pears and cook, turning occasionally, until sugar is melted and pears begin to turn pale golden, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer skillet to oven and roast pears until very tender, 5 to 7 minutes, then cool to room temperature.
• Bake clafoutis:
• Increase oven temperature to 350°F. Butter ramekins generously and coat with sugar, knocking out excess.
• Whisk pastry cream into almond cream until combined well. Spread 1/4 cup cream evenly in bottom of 1 ramekin and top with 2 pieces of pear. Spread another 1/4 cup cream over pears and top with 2 more pieces of pear. Repeat in remaining 5 ramekins. Arrange ramekins on a baking sheet and bake clafoutis until puffed and golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in ramekins on a rack 1 hour.
• Put 1 clafoutis (in ramekin) on each of 6 large plates and top each with a phyllo crisp. Serve cider sauce and quince sorbet on the side.