Fillo Pastry Puffs with Cranberries and Onions
One of my favorite, and longest running clients, Sally, actually inspired this recipe. She described a spanakopita version of this idea, made into individual triangular shaped pastries.
Since I had no desire to make a cheese filled fillo pastry, and Sally had a desire for a rich and satisfying, something she could really sink her teeth into, I came up with this recipe.
The split peas provide generous amounts of low fat, low cholesterol, mineral rich liver healthy protein. The yellow onions add a naturally sweet flavor, nourishing the pancreas, and thus providing a relaxing energetic quality to the dish, and the dried cranberries provide a perfectly balanced ph level to maintain healthy kidney function.
All in all, this dish presents elegantly, is incredibly healthy, and tastes just delicious!
Fillo Pastry Puffs with Cranberries and Onions
Advance preparation:
If cooking beans from scratch:
Rinse one cup of dry split peas 2-3 times, until rinse water is clear.
Soak rinsed split peas in 2 cups of spring water for anywhere from 2 hours, up to overnight.
Discard soaking water, then cook the split peas in 2 cups of fresh spring water, bringing to a light simmer, and skimming the foam off of the top and discarding as it forms. After foam stops forming, add a ¼ inch piece of kombu sea vegetable, cover, and continue to cook at a low simmer for approximately 40 minutes, or until split peas are very soft.
Once the split peas have reached the desired tenderness, add a pinch of sea salt to them and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Or
Use canned organic split peas that have been cooked with kombu sea vegetable, to equal 16 oz!
Buy one 16 oz package, approximately 20 sheets, of natural fillo dough, which usually comes frozen, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, and up until over night, to allow for thawing. Keep refrigerated until 2 hours before actual preparation time. 2 hours before preparation, remove the fillo from refrigerator, and let it come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and
Generously brush a large cookie sheet with olive oil.
The filling ingredients:
1 cup split peas, cooked (see above directions)
1 cup dried cranberries
4 large yellow onions, finely diced and caramelized in 1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cloves garlic, diced and caramelized with the onion (optional)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon shoyu soy sauce
Pinch of dried rosemary or herbs de provence (also optional)
Filling preparation:
Strain split peas
Add cranberries and yellow onions to the split peas, to achieve a thick pate like consistency, thick enough to hold it’s shape, yet soft enough to easily mold to the folded fillo pastry shape.
Add balsamic vinegar and shoyu
Add garlic and herbs de provence if desired.
The fillo preparation:
Place one cup of olive oil in a bowl, and have a clean pastry brush ready for use with it.
Place one cup of toasted wheat germ in a bowl.
Prepare a large clean counter or cutting board space.
Remove the fully thawed package of fillo from the refrigerator, lay it out flat, and cover it with a piece of saran wrap or damp dish towel.
Remove two pieces of fillo dough from the pile, lay them out flat on the counter/cutting board, and lightly brush them with the olive oil, then sprinkle them with a few tablespoons of wheat germ.
Place two more pieces of fillo over them, and brush with oil again.
Using a clean kitchen scissors, cut the fillo into 5 equal strips vertically.
Place about 1 or so large tablespoons of the filling onto each of the fillo strips, at the end closest to you. Do not over fill.
Begin folding the fillo strip in “flag fashion”, one end over the other, again from the end closest to you, rotating from side to side, to create a triangular shaped fillo pastry, with the tapenade filling completely enclosed.
Place each finished pastry onto the oiled cookie sheet, generously brushing the top of each pastry with olive oil, and sprinkling it with the toasted wheat germ.
Repeat this process until the fillo or the filling runs out. The leftover fillo can be refrozen, and the filling can be used as a dip, a pate, or a bean dish to accompany a meal!
Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the tops are well browned and the fillo pastry has puffed up into the triangular shaped cranberry and onion filled, fillo pastry puffs.
Best to serve immediately, but can be reheated in oven or oil brushed frying pan to crisp up before delayed serving.