Appetizers for Dinner: Fillo Cups with Italian Sausage, Pine Nuts & Yellow Bell Pepper

23 May 2012
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Fillo Cups with Sausage Pine Nuts and Yellow Bell Pepper

I am so busy these days I don't even have time to make full-sized food. That's right it's appetizer-sized portions for breakfast, lunch & dinner, and no one's complaining. I am sorta kidding but not really.

Take these tasty little bites: Fillo Cups with Italian Sausage, Pine Nuts & Yellow Bell Pepper. I made them because I wanted (no needed) to bring something new and luscious right here to the pages of my blog. I knew you were getting hungry and maybe even a little ornery. Because 3 days without a new post is almost as stressful to me as an unmade bed. I cannot concentrate if there is even one single unmade bed in my house. I bet you are the same way, huh?

Oh and don't get me started on a fully stocked underwear drawer. If I don't have at least three pairs of clean undies in my top drawer I get positively antsy. I mean you never know what the day might hold.

But I have digressed royally!

I am here to convince you that appetizers make great blog posts and they can also be dinner. I mean how chic would it be to sit around in your kaftan sipping something sophisticated and nibbling on these Fillo Cups with Italian Sausage, Pine Nuts & Yellow Bell Pepper. Lest you think this is just my excuse for extending cocktail hour I'll have you know, these little hors d'oeuvres make a great meal... I mean all the major food groups are represented, right?

So Cheers! I mean Bon Appetit... just make sure you have plenty of clean undies and we'll all be fine. GREG

Fillo Cups with Italian Sausage, Pine Nuts & Yellow Bell Pepper makes 48 CLICK here for a printable recipe

  • 4 sheets fillo dough
  • 2 T unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 T vegetable oil
  • 1/2 c finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 c cored, seeded & finely chopped yellow bell pepper
  • 2 clv garlic, minced
  • 1/2 t kosher salt
  • 1/8 t freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 lb italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled
  • 1 t dried oregano
  • 1/4 c pine nuts, toasted
  • 1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 T minced chives, plus more as garnish
  • 3 oz feta cheese crumbled

Prepare the fillo cups: Place the oven rack in the center position. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lay the fillo sheets flat on a cutting in front of you; all 4 stacked on top each other. Using a very sharp knife and a straight edge, trim them together as a group into a 12 x 16-inches rectangle. Discard trimmings. Then cut the stacked sheets into 48 two-inch squares, four layers thick. Leave them in place, cover them completely with plastic wrap topped with a barely damp dish towel. Pull out only as many squares as you can work with to keep them from drying out.
 
Brush the bottom and side of each opening of four 12 portion mini-muffin tins. Mold one 2-inch square of fillo into the bottom of each opening of the tins. Brush with butter and repeat three more times, using all 192 two-inch squares. Don’t worry if the tear or fold while you work. They will form a solid cup once baked. You may work in batches if you only have 1 or 2 muffin tins.

Bake in the heated oven until crisp and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Let cool on a rack before removing the fillo cups from the tins.

The fillo cups may be prepared up to 3 days in advance, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Prepare the filling: Warm the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed or cast iron skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the onions have softened some, about 4 minutes. Add the crumbled sausage and oregano to the skillet. Cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until it is browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the pine nuts, red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons minced chives and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.

The filling may be prepared the day before. In which case do not add the 2 tablespoons chives or final 1/4 teaspoon salt. At assembly time gently reheat the sausage mixture with a teaspoon of water. Add the chives and salt once the mixture is at serving temperature.

To assemble: Place a heaping teaspoon of the sausage filling into each fillo cup. Top with a bit of feta, and a more chives. Serve warm.

NOTE: You may also fill the cups without the feta and chive garnish up to 1 hour in advance. Then warm them in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes. Top with the feta and chive garnish right before serving.

Greg Henry writes the food blog Sippity Sup- Serious Fun Food, and contributes the Friday column on entertaining for The Back Burner at Key Ingredient. He’s active in the food blogging community, and a popular speaker at IFBC, Food Buzz Festival and Camp Blogaway. He’s led cooking demonstrations in Panama & Costa Rica, and has traveled as far and wide as Norway to promote culinary travel. He’s been featured in Food & Wine Magazine, Los Angeles Times, More Magazine, The Today Show Online and Saveur’s Best of the Web. Greg also co-hosts The Table Set podcast which can be downloaded on iTunes or at Homefries Podcast Network.

  • Follow Greg on Twitter @SippitySup
  • Follow The Table Set on Twitter @TheTableSet
  • Like Sippity Sup on Facebook
  • Look for Greg's book Savory Pies coming Nov 2012, from Ulysses Press

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Delightful

These sound positively deightful Greg. Thanks for the inspiration to use fillo, haven't thought of it in a long while. I could make your recipe, plus a vegetarian one, and everbody will be happy.

Bring on Cocktail Hour!

LL

Lori Lynn (not verified) | May 30th, 2012 at 7:43 am | Reply

I love....

tapas styled eating, and often order just a few appetizers when dining out.  No reason we shouldn't all eat that way at home sometimes too!

Oui, Chef (not verified) | May 29th, 2012 at 8:11 am | Reply

Goin' commando!

You cracked me up with your underwear commentary, Greg.

Excellent job on these cups.  I have seen them done many times but NEVER so perfectly golden brown, almost transluscent. 

Chris (not verified) | May 28th, 2012 at 11:18 am | Reply

These look divine and I am

These look divine and I am going to add them to my Mouth Watering Mondays post next Monday. Come on over to see them at www.noshingwiththenolands.com Cheers, Tara

Tara Noland (not verified) | May 28th, 2012 at 9:52 am | Reply

Who needs an excuse when

Who needs an excuse when eating appetizers for dinner? Besides, you do have an excellent excuse! Have a great weekend. Your parties sound like an awesome Memorial Day tradition.

Mary (not verified) | May 27th, 2012 at 6:52 am | Reply

Could you be any funnier?!

Could you be any funnier?! No! The underwear drawer being fully stocked had me laughing so hard. . . in fact, I'm still laughing.  And somehow even with a need for back up underwear being needed on my mind, your appetizer looks and sounds delicious!  And it's so pretty!

Valentina (not verified) | May 24th, 2012 at 11:06 pm | Reply

Thx

Thx for connecting with me on foodbuzz. I just subscribed to your blog feed and can't wait to see what your next post will be!

CJ at Food Stories (not verified) | May 24th, 2012 at 3:28 pm | Reply

i love eating appetizers for

i love eating appetizers for dinner, these sound delicious!

Jenn and Seth (not verified) | May 24th, 2012 at 12:51 pm | Reply

Undies and cups

Now I know men have undies AND sometimes they have cups but I don't want to be anywhere near them when I'm eating appetizers, okay?

I'm just as bad on the house stuff.  I do laundry every day because if I get two days' worth I'm beside myself thinking I'll soon have a weeks' worth.  I know, it's stupid, but I just do it and then I don't have to worry.

 

I don't see how you have time to post at all.  The book waiteth not.

Maureen (not verified) | May 24th, 2012 at 4:40 am | Reply

I am with you on beds! And fillo dough, of course:)

I love the idea of feasting on appetizers. It does seem indulgent and a little bit wicked, but please, no kaftans! I have nothing against them, but the last one I wore was when I was deeply pregnant with my first and it was either that or a mumu, as I grew to gargantuan proportions.

Now, you are making me feel guilty with that three day thing maximum between posts. I feel an awesome sense of accomplishment when I squeeze two posts in one week. I admire you, truly! And just so that you know, I don't feel bad for you at all for being busy - I know it's a wonderful kind of busy and you deserve it (I am sure that you are going to find yourself in Palm Springs next weekend:)

lana (not verified) | May 24th, 2012 at 1:54 am | Reply

I'm not sure I want to know

I'm not sure I want to know what kind of day you might have that would blow through three pairs but but I wouldn't mind going through a ton of these. Love the dramatic use of chive! 

Trevor Sis. Boom. (not verified) | May 23rd, 2012 at 7:50 pm | Reply

tapas should be more

tapas should be more mainstream to me

when on vacation I seek out these restaurants purely for the mini food and cocktails--that's dinner to me!

vanillasugarblog (not verified) | May 23rd, 2012 at 2:48 pm | Reply

Hey

I am feeling your fillo, Greg!

Banana Wonder (not verified) | May 23rd, 2012 at 2:06 pm | Reply

Lucky me ;)

I get to read about a fillo cups AND your undies?! Love your posts. I could make a whole meal out of those (and by THOSE I don't mean your undies). 

Jackie @ Domestic Fits (not verified) | May 23rd, 2012 at 2:03 pm | Reply

I've always been convinced

I've always been convinced that I was meant to be born in Spain because I could eat tapas (or another type of appetizer, for that matter) every single day for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  As for the undies - yep, I'm totally with you on that one.

Cookin' Canuck (not verified) | May 23rd, 2012 at 12:50 pm | Reply

3 whole days?

Wow, 3 days without a post. GREG, you're really slipping. ;) I would be thrilled to get one post up each week! Thanks for your kind words on my pancake post. Life is challenging at times, but it's also pretty great, you know? xoxo

Dawn (KitchenTravels) (not verified) | May 23rd, 2012 at 10:59 am | Reply

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