Ricotta Mushroom Phyllo Bites

Here is an easy appetizer to make for your next get together. From start time to serve time was only about 30 minutes. Now I admit I did use a vegetable chopper (one of my newest favorite tools) which made chopping the mushrooms a breeze (see picture below).

These phyllos bites are just that, they are bite size, making them the perfect size to just pick up and pop in your mouth.  In fact, when I took a couple over to my husband to try, he did just that, picked up 2 or 3 off the plate and popped them straight into his mouth. (Shortly afterwards I found him making his way into the kitchen to pop a few more in his mouth; I guess he liked them.)

Now, if you have never worked with phyllo dough, here are a couple of tips. Make sure it is completely thawed, or it will crack on you. If you are using a large amount of it, (which you won't for this recipe but will when making baklava), keep them covered with a dampened paper towel. And once you have opened a package of it, use it within a few days, otherwise it becomes dehydrated and becomes very fragile. What you have probably deduced is that phyllo dough, while tasty, is a fragile medium to work with, but if you treat it well, it will treat your taste buds well.

Ricotta Mushroom Phyllo Bites
Recipe by Caroline
Pictures by Caroline

Yields 12
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 12-14 minutes

Ingredients
3/4 cup finely chopped white mushrooms, roughly 3 large mushrooms
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
dash of salt
4 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
**not an ingredient, but you will need a 12-count mini muffin tin

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a bowl combine chopped mushrooms, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley and a dash of salt. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
3. To prepare phyllo cups. Lay a sheet of phyllo dough out on a piece of waxed paper. Brush the dough with the melted butter. Place another sheet of dough on top and brush with more butter. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Using a sharp knife, trim off the uneven edges, and then cut into 12 uniform square pieces. Using your thumb, gently press each piece of dough into a mini-muffin cup. As you press the dough in, fold the corners into each other to form a cup.
5. Spoon the cheese filling into the cups. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the pastry is golden on the tips. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Using a small spoon, remove the phyllo cups from the pan. Serve warm (or cool, but they are better warm).