The Red Folder

Filo Parcels – how to fold the perfect triangle

Anything in pastry sells at the canteen, so parcels of yummy, regularly appear on the menu, they sell out fast.  I alway use a triangle shape when using filo because it is easy, cooks well and has great plate appeal.  I churn them out without thinking but people are always asking me how to do it.  It seems so simple, I feel silly doing this but I guess unless you have been shown, you do not know.  Here we go then.  Kids make a batch of these, eat them hot, cold, dinner, lunch or picnic.

You will need a damp tea towel, melted butter/ vegetable oil, a pastry brush and a space twice as large as the filo pastry you are using.

1. Unroll the filo onto a clean flat surface.
2. Brush the top surface with some of the melted butter or oil
3. Flip this over to make a filo, butter, filo sandwich.
4. Take this sandwich off the pile and place on a clean flat surface, longest length facing away from you.  Cover the original pile with the damp tea towel.
5. Cut in half along the longest length and separate the two pieces. This will make two triangles.
6. Put a dollop of filling on the left side at the end closest to you and make the first fold by picking up the right corner and folding in the direction of the black arrow along the red line. Continue folding as below, brush butter on that last fold.

Brush with butter or oil and bake in a hot oven (180° – 200°) for 25 mins or until the pastry is golden brown.  Keep an eye on it.

 

Now you know how, go fill some pastry.  Here are my two favourite fillings.

Spicy Potato

• 3 large potatoes boiled and mashed (No milk or butter) or baked with the flesh scooped out and left fairly lumpy as the top left.
• 75g frozen peas thawed
• 50g frozen  sweetcorn thawed or from a can – drained
• 1tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 small red onion finely chopped
• 2 fresh green chillies finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.  Add 1 tsp of your choice flour if the mixture is too soft.  I also add chickpeas.  Place last folded side down, brush with oil and top with black or white sesame.

Spinach and Pumpkin

• 1 small or ½ a large butternut squash
• approx 2 tsp vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 brown onion
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup of frozen spinach – defrosted

Use a vegetable peeler to peel the pumpkin and dice the flesh into about 1cm cubes.  You will need about two cups.   Put the diced pumpkin in a roomy bowl, and season with salt and pepper, add a tsp of the oil and massage in with your hands.  Put onto a baking tray. Bake for about 15 – 20 mins on about 180°, it needs to still have some resistance.

Saute the onion and garlic in a little oil until soft and transparent, allow to cool.  Squeeze all the moisture from the spinach and roughly chop.

Mix the pumpkin, onion, spinach, garlic and cranberries and season to taste.  I sometimes add feta here too.  Place last folded side down, brush with oil and top with black or white sesame.

YUMMY.  Both of these fillings can be made ahead of time and are also fabulous wrapped in a 10.5 tortilla and baked.  Brush with oil and top with black or white sesame and bake until golden.  garnish with chopped fresh coriander.