Moroccan Phyllo Rolls

Mindelicious's Note:

This recipe seems quite involved but its really not that bad after all the chopping and they end up going together very quickly. The end result is amazing & well worth the effort. Serve with a mixed greens salad and Balsamic Maple Sauce for a main entree or make these into smaller rolls and serve as appetizers! For a wheat free version use Spelt Phyllo Sheets. Recipe from Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 cups diced bell peppers (combination yellow, red, and orange)
• 2 1/2-3 cups diced zucchini or 2 1/2-3 cups yellow squash
• 1 -1 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 1/2-2 cups diced fennel bulbs (about 1 medium bulb)
• 1/2 cup dried diced apricots (preferably unsulfured) or 1 cup fresh fig
• 5 -6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas or 1 cup white beans
• 1/2 cup fresh basil or 1/2 cup parsley, minced
• 8 -12 sheets phyllo pastry sheets (see ****)
• 2 1/2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (to brush phyllo)
• 1/4 cup chopped or slivered almond, lightly toasted (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Line a wide-rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place bell peppers, zucchini, onion, fennel, apricots, and garlic on sheet, and toss with oil, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 35-45 minutes, tossing once or twice, until veggies are caramelized in some spots and softened.
2. Remove from oven, toss in chickpeas or white beans and basil, and let cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190ºC). Line a baking dish or sheet with parchment paper. Place a lightly dampened dish towel over phyllo sheets to keep moist while preparing rolls.
3. Lightly brush top of one sheet with oil. Place another sheet (not brushed with oil) on top. Spread ¾-1 cup roasted veggie mixture (see note) down the center of top sheet, leaving 1-2-in (2½-5-cm) space from edges. Fold left side over filling and roll up, tucking in sides as you go. Brush with additional oil and place in lined baking dish or sheet.
4. Repeat process until all phyllo and mixture are used; you will have 4-6 rolls (see note).
5. Bake for 24-28 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm, drizzled with Balsamic Maple Sauce, and garnished with almonds.
6. ***Use 8 sheets to make generously stuffed rolls or 12 sheets for smaller ones. If the roll is quite full, it may tear while baking. This of course won't ruin them, but will affect the presentation (if that's important to you).
7. ***As appetizers: Make smaller rolls or bite-sized phyllo triangles. For the latter, brush one sheet with oil. Then, with a sharp knife, cut 4 strips lengthwise down length of sheet. Place a small spoonful of filling at the base of one strip. Then, fold that corner over to form a triangle, and continue to fold back and forth until you reach the top (like folding a flag). Repeat process until you have used up all the filling. Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Serve with Balsamic Maple Sauce as a dip.

Reviews

[magpie diner]

I really like Dreena Burton's recipes, and this doesn't disappoint. I made the veg the day before when I had the oven on for something else. Then it was fairly quick to put together tonight (with my perfectly defrosted phyllo). You're right, it's the chopping that takes the most time, but it's worth it. Next time, I would chop everything much smaller so it holds together a little better in the end. I ended up making 5 dinner sized portions, which used about 1/2 a pack of phyllo (10 sheets). I had to leave out the apricot/figs, didn't have any, I think that would have been really great. I happened to have some Ras El Hanout - Moroccan Spice Mix just made, so I added a tsp in. It's an impressive dish you could serve at a dinner party, works really well with a nice yogurt type sauce on the side. Thanks for posting, we really enjoyed it!!