2017 Michigan Wine and Small Plates: Camembert and Olive-Stuffed Phyllo

At dinner earlier this week, our family was discussing the eternal question of What Gluten-y Food Do You Miss the Most? The winner, hands-down, was phyllo dough.

There’s no way around this, no GF version of phyllo hanging around somewhere, because the elasticity from the gluten is what makes those lovely paper-thin sheets possible. Yes, I know that phyllo is a genre, not a product, and there are almost certainly some rustic versions that are meant to be rolled thick and could be made GF, but that’s not what I think about when I hear the word “phyllo.” I think of spinach and cheese pies, golden brown and shattering into a million papery bits when you bit into it. I think of my favorite feta rolls, and burning my tongue on the filling because I can’t wait to eat them. I think of baklava. And then I think of baklava some more, and I feel very very sad. And then I cheat and eat a bunch of gluten-containing foods that week, and I feel very very sad in a completely different way. In fact, I’m still feeling that particular kind of sadness a few weeks later, so I’m pretty sure there won’t be any more phyllo in my foreseeable future.

If you don’t have this particular issue, might I suggest these cheese and olive rolls?

The cheese is funky and more strongly flavored than you might think, given its resemblance to Brie, and really holds its own against the olives. I’m not a fan of olives but I’ve come to tolerate them under certain circumstances (all of which involve cheese and wine). Given that this dish is intended to be paired with Syrah, it really needed some serious kick to hold up to the wine; I was pleasantly surprised all the way around, since I usually think of Syrah as something to be paired with red meats.

Don’t let the idea of working with phyllo dough intimidate you. There are two essential factors to your success: (1) Don’t let it dry out. Cover it immediately with the clean towel and recruit a helper to do nothing but move the towel when you need it, if at all possible. Ignore the package advice about using a damp towel, since in my experience all that means is that you’ll get some phyllo stuck to your towel in annoying, gummy patches. (2) Buy your phyllo from a Middle Eastern grocery or similar. There is no point whatsoever in trying to buy it at a regular grocery store; it’s not stored right or turned over quickly enough, and it inevitably is stuck to itself, dried out, and generally a misery to work with. You don’t need that kind of hassle.

If you’ve been following these posts, you won’t be a bit surprised to know this recipe comes from 100 Perfect Pairings by Jill Silverman Hough. In fact, you’ve probably gone out and bought your own version by now. I certainly hope so. Please invite me over when you start cooking from it!

Camembert and Olive-Stuffed Phyllo

8 ounces Camembert cheese, cut into ½-inch dice
1 cup drained, pitted Kalamata olives, chopped (the original recipe calls for black olives but I can’t even. Kalamatas are enough of a stretch for me.)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 stick of butter, melted
1 package of phyllo dough

In a food processor, mix the cheese, olives, eggs, and pepper until combined. Yes, this is going to be downright horrible-looking. Persevere.

Put the phyllo on a work surface and use a very sharp knife to cut the sheets in half. Immediately put a clean kitchen towel over the sheets so they don’t dry out – this happens very quickly and makes it almost impossible to work with the phyllo. If possible, arrange for a kitchen helper to move the towel off the phyllo when you need to get a sheet, which will speed up the process considerably.

Take a single half-sheet of phyllo off the top of the stack and put it in front of you. Place a spoonful of filling along the bottom of the sheet, about an inch or so in from the edge; spread it out in a line rather than a glop. Fold the bottom edge of the phyllo up to cover it and give the roll a half-turn, then fold the left edge over. Give the roll another half-turn and fold the right edge over, then continue rolling until the rest of the sheet is used up. Brush the top edge with a little butter to seal it closed and put the roll on a baking sheet. Brush the top with a little melted butter. Continue with the rest of the filling and phyllo.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot or room temperature.

About the wine: I served this with Chateau Aeronautique 2012 Syrah. As I mentioned earlier, I was a little surprised at how well this held up to a biggish red; the cheese is pretty intense and the huge amount of olives adds a lot of brininess. This particular Syrah is a little fruitier and less tannic than some others I’ve had but I suspect that this particular recipe would hold up just fine if you had a peppery wine that punched you in the face a bit, if you’re into that sort of thing.