Curry Phyllo Triangles!

YUM, YUM, YUM!  These were so absolutely yummy and ten times easier than I had expected.  I think I'd always been totally weary of using phyllo dough as it looks so delicate and I thought it would be difficult to work with.  Boy was I wrong!  These little triangles whipped up in a flash!  I found this particular recipe in a Holiday Appetizers magazine from the Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications (year 2000).  They put out a new magazine every year around the holiday season and I think I've collected at least 10 of their appetizer ones now.  Another good magazine to look out for is their annual Christmas cookies one.

So this particular recipe began with the ground meat filling.  The recipe originally called for ground lamb, but seeing as Chris doesn't particularly care for lamb and it can be fattier, I decided to use extra-lean ground turkey instead...good choice.  I didn't have time to work with it right away, so I just popped it into a container and refrigerated it for a couple of days.  When I was ready to assemble these, I swear it didn't take me longer than a half hour or so.  This was so easy!!!  I think I'm going to make these again and again and again!



Curry Phyllo Triangles

1 Tbsp oil
8 oz ground turkey
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped (1 cup)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 to 5 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
1/2 cup snipped parsley
1/4 cup oil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
10 sheets frozen phyllo dough thawed

Heat the Tbsp oil in a large skillet.  Add the turkey, potato and onion; cook till turkey is no longer pink.  Drain off fat if any.  Stir in 2 to 3 tsp of the curry powder (I used 2 heaping tsp), 1/2 tsp thyme and 1/2 tsp salt.  Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add tomato, reduce heat and cook covered for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in parsley and set aside.

Combine the remaining curry powder, the 1/4 cup oil and the 1/4 tsp thyme.  Brush one sheet of phyllo with some of the oil mixture.  Place a second phyllo sheet on top, lightly press sheets together.  (Cover remaining phyllo with a damp towel or plastic wrap to prevent drying out.)  Cut layered phyllo lenghwise into five equal strips.


Spoon a rounded 1 Tbsp of the meat mixture 1 inch from the end of each strip.  Fold a bottom corner of each strip over the filling so the short edge lines up with the side edge to make a triangle.  Fold the triangle shapes along the strips....also known as flag fold.

Arrange filled triangles on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Brush the tops lightly with the remaining oil mixture.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 12 minutes or till golden brown.  The recipe says it makes about 25.  I don't think I had quite that many, but it was my first attempt and I think I may have filled a few too much (not to mention all the different sizes of triangles I had!)