Mushroom and Sausage Purses with Madeira Cream Sauce

A most impressive first course. Attractive plating with the cream sauce underneath and the 'purse' on top. Perfect for the holidays or a more elaborate dinner party.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Sauce

• 1⁄2 cup madeira wine
• 2  tablespoons  minced shallots
• 2  cups  beef stock
• 1 1⁄2 cups  whipping cream

• Purses

• 1 1⁄2 lbs sausages, casings removed
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
• 1⁄4 cup  minced shallot
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1⁄2 lb cream cheese, room temperature
• 1⁄2 lb ricotta cheese
• 16  filo pastry
• 3⁄4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. For sauce: Boil Madeira and shallot until almost all liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes.
2. Add stock and boil until reduced to ½ cup, about 10 minutes.
3. Add cream and boil until reduced to sauce consistency, about 10 minutes.
4. (can be prepared 1 day ahead) For purses: Cook sausages until no longer pink, crumbling with a fork.
5. Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
6. Pour off fat from skillet.
7. Add ¼ cup butter and oil to skillet and cook until butter melts.
8. Add mushrooms and saute 6 minutes.
9. Add shallots and thyme and saute until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
10. Add to sausages; cool completely.
11. Mix cream cheese and ricotta in large bowl to blend.
12. Add mushroom mixture and stir to blend.
13. Cover filo sheets with a dampened towel next to your work surface.
14. Stack 2 filo sheets on work surface.
15. Cut off strip of filo to form a 12 inch square.
16. Reserve filo strips under dampened towel.
17. Brush square with melted butter.
18. Place 1/8 of sausage mixture in center of square.
19. Gather up corners to form bundle.
20. Gently twist filo strip to form rope-like tie.
21. Wrap tie around bundle and tie in a loose knot at center.
22. Place bundle on baking sheet.
23. Brush bundle and tie with butter.
24. Repeat 7 more times.
25. (can be made 4 hours ahead) Preaheat oven to 400F.
26. Bake bundles until golden-brown, about 20 minutes.
27. Bring sauce to simmer and spoon onto plates.
28. Top with bundles.