Asian Influence: Roasted Veggie Phyllo Nests

By Jessie Lehail,
Special to The Post

In the world of food, it doesn't get better than this. Roasted spiced vegetables and cheese encased in a flakey phyllo pastry nest.
This recipe was inspired by Taka tins, a North Indian street food that focuses on vegetables. Taka tin is the sound of the metal spoon hitting against the metal pan as the chef keeps the vegetables moving around in spices. The chunks of vegetables are marinated in a myriad of grated spices and seasonings and cooked on an extremely hot griddle or metal pan. The varieties are endless, but my favourites include a melange of eggplant, cauliflower, bell peppers, and potatoes.
Phyllo makes the most perfect, light and flaky, crunchy base for this update on Taka tins. The goat cheese bonds everything together when it melts, and the top will be nice and golden. The resulting phyllo nests are dense with flavor from the roasted vegetables, cut with a richness from the phyllo pastry, and tanginess from the goat cheese.
These phyllo nests are an impressive meal to make on a weekend, when you have time to putter around and be creative. They are not difficult, but they take a while from start to finish. 

• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 red peppers, cubed 
• 1 zucchini, cubed 
• 1 onion, cubed 
• 1 cup mushrooms, quartered 
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 roma tomatoes, cubed
• 12 garlic cloves, halved
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (for vegetables)
• 1 tablespoon cumin 
• 1 tablespoon sumac 
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 package phyllo pastry 
• ¼ cup olive oil (for pastry)
• 1 cup goat cheese crumbled   
     
Thaw phyllo dough by following manufacturer directions. In a parchment paper lined roasting pan, toss red peppers, onion, zucchini, mushrooms, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes in olive oil. Toss with cumin, sumac, garam masala, turmeric, chili flakes, salt, pepper and lemon juice and zest, and bake in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes or until roasted. Let cool. Lightly oil muffin tins. Layer six sheets of phyllo on top of each other brushing olive oil on each individual sheet. Cut into six squares. Place each square, fanning the parchment layers into each muffin cup. Crumble a tablespoon of goat cheese in the bottom of each parchment nest. Fill with 1/2 cup roasted vegetable mixture. Top with more goat cheese, and sprinkle with sumac. Brush tops with olive oil. Bake in a 375-400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Jessie Lehail is the author of Indian Influence, a food blog that takes global eats and reinterprets them with a South Asian influence. Visit her blog at www.indianinfluence.ca.

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