Mushroom & Nut Filo Parcels

There’s just some short cuts in life that are too good to miss. Using bought Filo pastry is definitely one of them. I’d love to say I always make my own pastry but life really is too short when it comes to Filo.

I first tried these Mushroom and Nut Filo parcels at a bring your own buffet evening and knew I needed to make my own version. So handy for canapés as they can be made super tiny for drinks and nibbles or quite a substantial size if using as a starter.

What are the best mushrooms to use in Mushroom Parcels?

Whichever mushrooms are your favourite. I love a chestnut mushroom as they are tasty and go so well with nuts. They are also reasonably priced – For best value for money, I would avoid Shiitake and Oyster mushrooms. You may find that button mushrooms and general supermarket own brand are not strong enough and the taste gets lost.

I’m not a fan of exotic mushrooms as I find them too perfumy but given them a go.

For this recipe, I would also avoid dehydrated mushrooms that you need to soak to revive. They are often too moist and may make the pastry soggy.

How to work with Filo Pastry

The secret to working with Filo (or sometimes known as Phyllo) is to be quick. I only have out of the fridge exactly the amount that I need as it dries out and becomes difficult to work with pretty soon. I have my butter melted ready to spread on each layer and the fillings ready to go. Time is definitely of the essence.

I like my parcels to have 3 layers of pastry but you can get away with just 2. I also cover the edges of my pastry with teeny tinned foil lids for the first 20 mins of cooking to stop them catching.

MUSHROOM & NUT FILO PARCELS

Serves	9
Prep time	18 minutes
Cook time	30 minutes
Total time	48 minutes
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Appetizer, Lunch, Snack, Starter
Misc	Serve Hot
Occasion	Barbecue, Casual Party

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 Small Onion (Finely Chopped)
• 1 clove Garlic (Finely Chopped)
• 250g Mushrooms (Preferably Chestnut Mushrooms)
• 150g Mixed Nuts (I used Macadamia, Almonds, Hazlenuts, Brazil – Chopped into small chunks (1-2mm))
• 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
• 2 tablespoons Dry Sherry
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce (or Soy Sauce if you are vegetarian)
• 25g Melted Butter
• 135g Filo Pastry (I used exactly half a packet)

DIRECTIONS

1.
Soften the onions and garlic in the oil in a large frying pan until clear – About 5 mins
2.
Add the mushrooms, nuts, sherry, parsley and worcestershire sauce and continue to cook on the hob for another 5 minutes until soft and well mixed together
3.
Add a pinch of salt and pepper
4.
There should not be very much liquid at the bottom of the pan but if there is, drain it off. You don’t want the mixture too moist or it will make the pastry soggy at the bottom
5.
Cut the pastry sheets into equal squares until you have 27 squares (This recipe makes 9 parcels)
6.
Lay one sheet down and quickly brush melted butter around the sides, add another layer on top with the points turned 45 degrees and repeat the butter. Add the final layer and again brush melted butter around the edges.
7.
Place one large tablespoon of the mushroom nut mixture in the centres of the squares and quickly scrunch together at the top. The melted butter will help it stick.
8.
place a scrunched up square of tinned foil over the top of the pastry before it goes too crispy and bake for 30 mins at 190C (remove the tinned foil after the first 20 mins)
9.
Allow to cool slightly and serve with balsamic vinegar as a dip and rocket. Enjoy!