INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

For appetizers with a lot of style but little fat, phyllo pastries  are
a natural. The paper-thin sheets of phyllo dough can be rolled,
folded, shaped, seasoned, or filled in countless ways. In typical
phyllo recipes, however, the layers of dough are freely brushed with
melted butter; when baked, the butter keeps the thin sheets separate,
producing a flaky--and fat-saturated--result. We developed a  technique
in which the leaves of phyllo are lightly coated with a  blend of egg
white and olive oil. During baking, the egg whites  become crisp while
the oil keeps the leaves separate. The low-fat  technique has an
unexpected and welcome benefit: the pastries turn  out crisper and less
oily than those made with pure fat, and filled  pastires don't become
soggy.  Frozen phyllo (or filo or fillo) is available in most
supermarkets;  it is also sold fresh in some Greek and Middle Eastern
specialty  shops. One pound of dough averages 25 large sheets of
pastry. Our  recipes were devloped for full-sized sheets, either 14 by
18 inches  or 12 by 17 inches. These appetizers work beautifully for
entertaining because they can be prepared in advance and refrigerated
or frozen.  TIPS  Phyllo Dough is easy and fun to work with as long as
it doesn't get  soggy or dried out. To avoid these potential hazards:
Thaw frozen phyllo in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or
overnight; this will prevent damp spots that could cause the sheets  of
dough to stick together.  Remove phyllo from refrigerator, and leave
unopened at room  temperature for 1 to 2 hours.  Clear a large work
surface before removing phyllo from the box.  Carefully unroll sheets
onto a dry surface.  Keep sheets of phyllo covered with plastic wrap or
wax paper while you  work; if the dough is left uncovered for even a
short period of time,  it dries out and breaks into flakes.  Work
quickly and with a gentle hand.  From Eating Well, May/June 1993.  From
Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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