Curried Potato & Feta Filo

Curried Potato & Feta Filo

Indulging in cooking experiments is like embarking on a thrilling journey of discovery only, for the taste buds. Take, for instance, my latest appetiser addition: potato seasoned with an aromatic combo of flavours—mustard seeds, curry powder, mint, coriander, green chilli, curry leaves, garlic, and red onion—married with briny Feta, all wrapped in a delicious crispy filo pastry casing- all bathed in a generous dollop of minted chilli yogurt.

What’s truly amazing, is how even my kids, who were once wary of such bold flavours, found themselves captivated by this aromatic parcel. There was complete & utter silence, besides the crunch of the filo. I’m not sure who was more mesmerised- them or me!

There’s an inexplicable allure to pastry appetisers, isn’t there? Beyond the enticing crunch, they offer a sense of fulfillment that transcends mere satiation.

Whenever I entertain, I make it a point to include at least one pastry option—it’s like a universal language of delight, capable of ensnaring even the most picky of eaters.

Now, I won’t deny that these treats lean towards the indulgent side, but hey, they’re a step up from your typical puff pastry or deep-fried fare. And let’s be honest, who can resist the allure of pastry finger foods?

I like to amp up the heat in this dish with a dash of hot curry powder and a hint of green chilli. Sure, you can dial down the spice, but where’s the fun in that? Trust me, embracing that chilli kick is what elevates the flavours to next level. And if my kids, including the one with a knack for shying away from anything remotely spicy, can devour these in a mere five minutes, then I reckon you’re in for a treat too. So, go ahead, take the plunge and savour the explosion of flavours.

 

 

 

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Curried Potato & Feta Filo

 

(Serves 16 Prep 20mins Cook time 20mins)

 

You Will Need:

 

• Filo Pastry: This delicate, paper-thin pastry, also known as phyllo dough, adds crunch factor to the dish, you need to keep this moist as you work with it as it dries out really quickly.
• Salted Butter: Butter not only brings its luxurious flavour to the mix but also aids in achieving that golden, flaky perfection as it melds with the layers of filo pastry. Your other option would be Ghee which is a clarified butter and available at all major supermarkets or Asian store.
• Medium Potatoes: These are the hearty backbone of our dish, providing a comforting earthiness that contrasts beautifully with the vibrant spices and tangy cheese. Potatoes are the main ingredient in the dish and are the ‘meat’ ingredient if you like. Any all rounder potato will work here.
• Salt: season with salt to enhance the natural flavours of all of the other ingredients and ensuring a well-balanced taste profile. I use sea salt but you can use your normal household salt.
• Medium Onion: Onion is one of the aromatics brought to the dish which adds a sweet & savoury essence when sautéed. I have used red onion but you could use brown.
• Greek Feta: With its characteristic saltiness, Feta, another main player in the dish, brings a touch of Mediterranean appeal to recipe. Definitely use crumbly feta not smooth as it absorbs the flavours of the spices and holds it’s form for a little texture.
• Curry Leaves: Fragrant and aromatic, curry leaves infuse this dish with their distinctive citrusy notes, transporting your taste buds to exotic locales with each bite. Their subtle yet complex flavour, adds depth and complexity to the filling- not always readily available, but certainly lift the flavour profile.
• Black Mustard Seeds: Tiny but mighty, black mustard seeds pack a punch of flavour, releasing a subtle heat and nuttiness as they sizzle in the pan. Their distinctively sharp taste adds a welcome contrast to the mellow sweetness of the onions and potatoes, contributing to the overall complexity of our dish- can’t get enough of these!
• Curry Powder: Curry powder brings warmth and depth to your filling, infusing it with its signature aroma and a hint of gentle heat. With its medley of flavours, curry powder is a must for this dish- use as much or little as you like- I have gone for hot curry powder and it is definitely not too hot!
• Green Chilli: Vibrant and fiery, green chilli peppers lend a lively kick to our filling, awakening the palate with their spicy heat. Whether finely chopped or sliced into rings, green chillies add a burst of freshness and a hint of heat- to dial the heat down, remove the seeds.

Yoghurt sauce

• Mint Leaves: Fresh and aromatic, mint leaves impart a burst of coolness and a refreshing herbal note to our dish. Mint leaves add a beautiful freshness that enlivens the palate and balances the richness of the filling.
• Coriander: Also known as cilantro, coriander leaves are prized for their citrusy flavour and vibrant green colour. With their subtle peppery undertones, coriander adds touch of earthiness to our dish, enhancing its overall depth of flavour.
• Garlic Cloves: Another aromatic, I have omitted garlic from the main filling so definitely add some into the minted yoghurt- it adds a depth of flavour.
• Green Chilli: Fiery and vibrant, green chilli peppers embody the perfect amount of bold flavour and spicy heat. They add a fiery kick to the dish, igniting the senses. I love them- try them. They balance the dish with the coolness of the minted yoghurt.
• Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt lends a luscious richness to our dish, while its tangy flavour adds a refreshing contrast to the bold spices and savoury ingredients. acidity, Greek yogurt provides a cooling counterpoint to the fiery heat of the green chillies & provides the perfect creamy balance to the crunch & richness of the pastry.

 

Instructions:

1. Thaw Filo pastry: Remove the filo pastry from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature, ensuring it remains covered with a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out and becoming brittle.
2. Boil potatoes: Place the cut potatoes in a medium pot and cover them with cold water. Cook on Medium high heat, until you can easily insert knife through the centre without them falling apart- (approx 10- 15mins):
3. Cool Potatoes: Once cooked, drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly until they are safe to handle.
4. Melt butter: Melt the 30g butter in a small pan over medium heat until it is fully melted and bubbly.
5. Add mustard seeds: Add the black mustard seeds to the melted butter and stir continuously until they become aromatic and begin to pop, releasing their flavours.
6. Add the onions: Add the diced onion to the pan with the mustard seeds and butter. Sauté the onions over medium high heat until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the curry powder & curry leaves: Sprinkle the curry powder over the sautéed onions and mustard seeds, then add the curry leaves. Stir well to ensure the spices are evenly distributed and coat the onions.
8. Add the Green chilli: Add the finely chopped green chilli to the pan and mix it with the other ingredients. Cook for an additional 2 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together. Then, remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
9. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F) using the fan-forced setting. This can be done whilst you are preparing your pastries.
10. Cut the potatoes: Once the potatoes have cooled slightly, cut them into small, bite-sized cubes using a sharp knife and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
11. Cut the feta: Cut the Greek Feta cheese into small cubes and add them to the bowl with the potatoes.
12. Shred Mint leaves: Finely shred the fresh mint leaves and add them to the bowl with the potatoes and feta cheese.
13. Combine all ingredients: Pour the sautéed onion mixture from the pan into the bowl with the potatoes, feta, and mint leaves. Gently toss all the ingredients together until they are evenly combined and coated.
14. Fill the filo: Take 1 sheet of filo & lightly brush with melted butter. Place a 2nd filo sheet on top & brush with butter. Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut the layered filo pastry sheets into three equal strips lengthwise, creating long strips of pastry. Take a dessert spoon of potato filling and place across top corner of 1 strip of filo in a triangular shape (see photo):
15. Fold into triangles: Fold the top corner of the filo pastry strip down over the filling to meet the opposite edge, forming a triangle. Continue folding the triangle over itself, alternating between folding the bottom edge up and the top edge down, until the entire strip is folded into a neat triangle parcel, fully enclosing the filling. As you fold the pastry, ensure that the filling remains securely enclosed and adjust the folds as needed to maintain the triangular shape and prevent any filling from spilling out.
16. Arrange on baking tray: Once the pastry triangles are made, brush the outside with melted butter & place on a foil lined baking tray. Repeat process until you have 15 pastry triangles:
17. Bake pastries: Transfer the baking tray to your preheated oven and bake the pastry triangles until they are golden brown and crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them towards the end of the baking time to prevent them from over-browning.
18. Remove the pastries from the oven: Once the pastries are beautifully golden and crispy, remove the baking tray from the oven and set it aside to cool slightly before serving.
19. Make the yoghurt sauce: While the pastries are baking, prepare the yogurt sauce by combining half of the Greek yogurt with the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a mini food processor or blender. Process or blend the ingredients until they are smooth and well combined. Add the remaining yoghurt & stir to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl or individual dishes.
20. Serve & enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helpful Tips

• Filo pastry can be difficult to work with, as it is super fine and dries out quickly. I suggest using 2 sheets at a time and keeping the rest wrapped or cover with a moist tea towel.

 

• I have used butter to fry off the spices and onion, but ghee (clarified butter) would be another option for you. Better than oil in this recipe.

 

• Try the recipe 1st with all the ingredients before you decide whether you don’t like chilli or spice.

 

• I have cut each filo sheet into 3 lengths, but you could make your parcels even smaller & present 2 in each serve…it depends on the look you are going for.

 

• I have shown how to start off folding your filo pastry triangle in a photo above. Keep folding corner to corner (in a pattern of down, across, up, across) ensuring all the filling remains inside and eventually it will all be enveloped in the filo wrap.

 

• Blending yoghurt in a processor or blended tends to liquify the yoghurt, so by adding only 1/2 the yoghurt, the final result will be a thicker consistency, which is ultimately what you want.

 

 

 

 

Curried Potato & Feta Filo

 

(Serves 15, Prep 20, cook 20)

 

Ingredients

 

• 10 sheets of Filo pastry thawed
• 100g Salted butter melted
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/4
• 1 tsp salt
• 30g Salted butter
• 2 Tbsp Black Mustard seeds
• 1 medium Onion finely diced
• 12 Curry Leaves
• 2 tsp Curry powder
• 1 green chilli finely sliced
• Handful mint leaves finely shredded
•  200g Greek Feta finely cubed
•  
• Yoghurt sauce
• Handful Mint leaves
• Handful Coriander
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 1 green chilli
• 1 cup Greek yoghurt

 

 

Method

1. Thaw Filo pastry but keep covered with moist tea towel.
2. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water.
3. Cook on Medium high heat, until you can easily insert knife through the centre without them falling apart- (approx 10- 15mins).
4. Allow your potatoes to cool.
5. In a small pan, melt the 30g butter.
6. Add mustard seeds to the pan and stir until fragrant.
7. Add the onions and sautée until soft.
8. Add the curry powder & curry leaves & stir thoroughly.
9. Add the Green chilli & mix all the pan ingredients well- cook for another 2mins.
10. Turn off the heat.
11. Heat oven to 180 C (fan forced)
12. When cooled, cut potatoes into small cubes.
13. Cut the feta into small cubes and add to potatoes.
14. Finely shred the Mint leaves and add to the potatoes. 
15. Add the onion mix to the potatoes and combine all the ingredients well.
16. Take 1 sheet of filo pastry.
17. Brush with melted butter.
18. Place a 2nd filo sheet on top & brush with butter. 
19. Cut the filo pastry sheets into 3 lengthways
20. Take a dessert spoon of potato filling and place across top corner of 1 strip of filo in a triangular shape (see photo)
21. Fold top corner of triangle to the bottom as per photo, then bottom to bottom, bottom to top, top to top to ensure you maintain the triangular shape & envelop your filling.
22. Keep folding corner to corner ensuring all the filling remains in the pastry & remoulding as required.
23. Brush the outside of your pastry triangle with butter & place on a baking tray.
24. Repeat process until you have 15 pastry triangles.
25. Bake until golden (15-20mins)
26. Remove the pastries from the oven.
27. For the yoghurt sauce, add ½ of the yoghurt & the remaining ingredients to the bowl of a mini processor.
28. Blitz the ingredients.
29. Transfer yoghurt mix to a bowl and add the remaining ½ of the yoghurt and stir to combine.
30. Serve & enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Wine Pairing Suggestions:

Sauvignon Blanc: The crisp acidity and bright citrus notes of a Sauvignon Blanc will complement the vibrant flavours of this dish, particularly the mint, coriander, and green chilli. Look for a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or France’s Loire Valley for a refreshing pairing.

Chardonnay: A lightly oaked Chardonnay with notes of tropical fruits and a creamy texture can balance the richness of the buttery filo pastry and feta cheese. Choose a Chardonnay from California or Australia for a fuller-bodied option.

Riesling: The off-dry sweetness and zesty acidity of a Riesling can offset the spiciness of the green chilli and curry powder while enhancing the mint and coriander flavours. Opt for an Australian Clare Valley Riesling for an enjoyable pairing.

Gewürztraminer: With its aromatic profile of lychee, rose petal, and exotic spices, Gewürztraminer can complement the fragrant spices and herbs in the dish. Seek out a Gewürztraminer from France, or New Zealand for a floral and spicy pairing.

Rosé: A dry or off-dry Rosé with bright acidity and notes of red berries and citrus can provide a refreshing contrast to the richness of the dish.

Sparkling Wine: Whether it’s a classic Champagne, Prosecco, or Cava, sparkling wine’s effervescence and acidity can cleanse the palate between bites and enhance the flavours of the dish. Choose a Brut or Extra Brut style for a dry pairing that won’t overpower the delicate flavours.

Viognier: With its lush texture and floral aromatics, Viognier can complement the creamy feta cheese and add a touch of stone fruit sweetness to the dish.