Filo Parcels

These baked filo parcels are like a lighter, crispier cousin of a samosa. A quick curry-spiced stir-fry of mixed vegetables and bean sprouts gets rolled up in buttered filo pastry and baked until golden and shattering.

The filling comes together fast: onion fried with curry powder for a minute to bloom the spices, then vegetables stir-fried for just 3 minutes so they keep some crunch. Bean sprouts and fresh coriander go in off the heat so they stay fresh and snappy inside the pastry.

Brushing each filo sheet with melted butter before rolling is what makes the difference between a crispy, layered shell and a dry, papery one. Tuck the ends in tightly to seal so the filling doesn’t leak out during baking.

Kitchen Tips

• Work quickly with filo pastry. It dries out fast once unwrapped. Keep unused sheets covered with a damp tea towel.
• Cut the mixed vegetables small so they cook evenly in 3 minutes and roll up neatly inside the pastry.
• Let the filling cool before wrapping. Hot filling makes the filo soggy and hard to handle.
• These are best served straight from the oven while the pastry is still crisp.

Variations

• Add paneer cubes to the filling for a richer, more substantial parcel.
• Use garam masala or tikka paste instead of curry powder for a different spice profile.
• Swap bean sprouts for shredded cabbage and add a squeeze of lime for a Thai-inspired twist.