Reuben Rods

These flaky pastries are a special treat for lunch as well as great appetizers. I use this recipe to launch out into other ideas for fillings. What about spicy refried beans and chilis and cheese...or cream cheese, chicken and chopped chilis...or some shrimp, cocktail sauce and cream cheese...or.....think up something special yourself and share it with me!

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 14 rods

Ingredients

• 4  ounces  sliced deli corned beef
• 1⁄2 cup  drained rinsed and drained sauerkraut
• 4  ounces  shredded swiss cheese
• 1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 7  sheets phyllo dough
• 3  tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease cookie sheets.
3. Finely chop the corned beef and mix with the sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and mustard.
4. Place one sheet of phyllo on cutting board.
5. (Make sure to keep the remaining phyllo sheets completely covered, so that they don't dry out).
6. Lightly brush the phyllo sheet with olive oil.
7. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the meat/cheese mixture along the short side of the dough in a strip staying within about 1/2 inch of the edges.
8. Pick up the side of the dough that has the meat/cheese strip and roll it up into a cylinder, folding in the sides as you are rolling.
9. Place seam side down on the greased cookie sheet.
10. Score crosswise to make 4 rods.
11. (Score does not mean that you should cut all the way through the roll, but only through the top layers of phyllo).
12. Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling.
13. Brush rods with olive oil.
14. Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes until browned.
15. Cut each roll into 4 rods.
16. Serve warm.
17. This appetizer can be made ahead and kept refrigerated until time to bake.
18. Add a few extra minutes to baking time.