Chicken Phyllo Mini Tarts

This an entry for the RSC Winter, January 2005 - Appetizer Delicious and so easy.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 24 tarts

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon butter
• 3  shallots, finely chopped
• 1  roasted red pepper, chopped (I used bottled)
• 1  teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1  teaspoon dried basil
• 1  medium portabella mushroom, finely chopped
•  salt and pepper
• 1⁄2 lb ground chicken
• 2  tablespoons  fine dry breadcrumbs
• 1⁄2 lemon, zest of
• 1⁄2  lemon, juice of
• 1  egg, lightly beaten
• 3  tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 8  sheets phyllo pastry
• 1⁄4 cup butter, melted
• 1⁄2-3⁄4 cup  shredded cheese, your choice (I used garlic havarti)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350f degrees
2. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a nonstick frypan, add shallots, red pepper, ginger, basil, mushroom, salt and pepper, saute for 5 minutes; set aside to cool
3. Combine in a bowl, the ground chicken, bread crumbs, lemon zest and juice, parsley and egg
4. Add the cooled mixture from the frypan; stir to mix thouroughly
5. Refrigerate until ready to use
6. Melt 1/4 cup butter
7. Brush some of the melted butter on mini muffin tin, set aside
8. Prepare 8 phyllo sheets to make crust for tarts
9. Keep the phyllo sheets covered with a damp teatowel so that they don't dry out
10. Brush butter on one sheet of pastry, lay a second sheet on top and butter it; continue to top each of 4 sheets with butter
11. Cut the 4 piled sheets into 12 equel squares
12. Fit the 12 squares into the mimi muffin tin to make tarts
13. Fill each tart with 1 tablespoon of chicken mix; top with shredded cheese
14. Bake in preheated 350f degree oven for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbling and the cheese is melted
15. Repeat with the other 4 phyllo sheets to fill 12 more tarts