We enjoyed a lovely summer dinner with good friends John and Sheila Wilton recently. John served a delicious filo pastry crab and goat’s cheese parcel as the appetizer and he kindly agreed to share his recipe with us. For four people you will need the following ingredients:
- 4 sheets of Filo pastry 40 x 23cm
- 1 log of soft goat’s cheese around 100g
- 4 tablespoons of melted butter
- 1 tablespoon of double cream, creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt
- Crab – 200g of white crab meat, fresh or drained tinned crab
- A small bunch of chives finely chopped
- The zest of an unwaxed lemon
- A pinch of piment d’espelette or chilli flakes
- Salt and ground black pepper
Cut each piece of filo pastry into 4 quarters. To make a parcel, put one of the 4 pieces onto your work surface and brush with melted butter. Put a second piece over it at right angles to make a cross and brush with butter again. Lay a third piece diagonally, as if you are making a star shape, brush with butter and then top with the final piece, diagonally to complete the ‘star’ and brush with butter. It’s a good idea to use a muffin tin for this and place your pastry pieces in the moulds.
Mix the crab with the goat’s cheese, chives, cream, grated lemon zest and a pinch of chilli flakes. Season to taste with sea salt and ground black pepper.
Place one tablespoon of the mixture in the centre of each pastry star and fold up the sides of the filo, scrunching them lightly so they hold together. The filo stays in place as it dries so there is no need to tie it. Make three more parcels in the same way and then put in the fridge if you are not going to cook them straight away.
When ready to eat, pre-heat your oven to 200°C/gas 6 and pop them for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden and crispy. Sprinkle lightly with chilli flakes or piment d’espelette and serve at once.
A leafy green salad, lightly dressed with a vinaigrette is a good accompaniment.
Tips: cooked salmon and some finely chopped fresh tarragon makes a lovely alternative. For a vegetarian option use a little more goat’s cheese and add some chopped hazlenuts. Cream may be used in place of goat’s cheese but is not as flavoursome. Feta can also be used but for the best texture John recommends goat’s cheese.
Bon appetit!
