Spinach and Brie Phyllo Rolls

These cheesy pastries are a must-make during the Holiday season!

If you love flaky pastries, then these spinach and brie phyllo rolls are for you! Not only is this recipe super simple, but it can also be made in under 25 minutes in an air fryer! Who doesn’t love a garlicky, cheesy pastry?

These pastries are inspired by Spanakopita, savory Greek spinach pies with feta. I opted to use brie and parmesan for the pastries, which results in a creamier filling, much thanks to the brie. The filling is easy to make and the ingredients are available at most grocery stores. The most unique addition is chopped pecans, which was inspired by the usage of chopped pine nuts in many Mediterranean pastries. The toasted pecans give the filling a subtle nutty flavor and crunch, and it just helps to elevate the pastry as a whole.

Now, let’s turn to phyllo dough. I don’t work with phyllo dough often, so I felt nervous about working with such a delicate dough. Turns out, phyllo is actually quite easy to work with, and it is okay if the dough breaks because you will end up with multiple layers anyways. The main thing to keep in mind is to cover your dough with a damp paper towel so that the dough does not completely dry out. Other than that, all you need is some counter space, and you are ready to work with phyllo!

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Spinach and Brie Phyllo Rolls

@thegastronomygal

Flaky phyllo rolls! #easyrecipe #homecook #homebaking #pastryrecipes #appetizer #phyllodough #bakingrecipe #bakery #baker #recipesoftiktok #quickrecipes #homemadefood

♬ sundown – mt. fujitive

yield: 8-10 rolls

total cook time: 45 minutes (oven) OR 25 minutes (air fryer)

Ingredients:

For filling:

• 50 g. or 1/2 c. chopped pecans
• 250 g. or 1 3/4 c. diced brie cheese, chilled
• 100 g. or 3 c. chopped spinach
• 9 g. or 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• 1 g. or 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 g. or 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 30 g. or 1/3 c. shredded parmesan cheese, optional

For phyllo dough:

• 10 sheets phyllo dough, thawed

• 45 g. or 3 tbsp. melted unsalted butter for brushing
• honey to drizzle
• white or black sesame seeds to top

Directions:

1. Make sure your phyllo dough has been thawed in the refrigerator overnight or at least 7 hours.
2. In a skillet over low heat, add chopped pecans in and toast for 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds to prevent the nuts from burning. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, add in the filling ingredients. Mix well and set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 425 F if baking. No need to preheat if you are using an air fryer.
5. On a clean work surface, take out 10 phyllo sheets, stacked on top of each other and lay it horizontally. Slice the sheets vertically down the middle so that you now have 20 half-sized phyllo sheets. Place the phyllo sheets on the side and cover with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
6. Lay one of the phyllo sheets down and melted butter on the sheet. Layer another phyllo sheet on top and brush more butter. Add a few spoons of filling. Do not add too much. Roll the dough up like a burrito and wrap it around so the roll resembles a snail. Repeat for the remaining dough and filling.
7. Place the rolls on a baking tray and brush the tops with melted butter. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and bake for 25 to 30 min OR air fry at 425 F for 10-15 min.
8.  Remove the pastries from the oven. Drizzle honey on top and enjoy!

Recipe notes:

• Unbaked phyllo rolls can be made and frozen. Just bake them immediately whenever you need them.
• Baked phyllo rolls can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Heat them up in the oven or air fryer.
• When making the filling, keep your brie chilled to prevent the brie chunks from sticking to each other.