Smoked Trout Tartlets
Submitted by Tee
Crispy golden phyllo cups filled with a creamy smoked trout, horseradish and scallion mixture, topped with cool shredded cucumber. An elegant make-ahead appetizer that yields 48 bite-sized pieces.
YIELD
48 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
1 hrsThese little two-bite beauties are the kind of appetizer that makes people assume you hired a caterer.
Homemade phyllo shells bake up shatteringly crisp and golden, then get filled with a smoky, tangy blend of trout, cream cheese and just enough horseradish to make your taste buds sit up and pay attention.
A crown of cool shredded cucumber on top balances all that richness.
The best part? Both the shells and the filling can be made well ahead of time, so you’re not stuck in the kitchen while your guests have all the fun.
Pro Tips
- Baked phyllo shells keep at room temperature for a week or frozen for two months. Make a double batch while you’re at it.
- Don’t fill the shells until just before serving. Soggy phyllo is nobody’s friend.
- Pipe the filling with a star tip for a polished presentation that takes about two extra minutes.
- A squeeze of lemon juice in the filling brightens the smokiness of the trout.
Ingredients
Directions
To make phyllo tartlet shells: Preheat oven to 325℉ (160℃).
Lightly coat 2 mini-muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together egg white, oil and salt.
Lay a sheet of phyllo on a work surface and with a pastry brush, lightly coat it with the egg-white mixture.
Lay a second sheet smoothly on top, taking care to line up the edges before setting the sheet down. (Once you set down the sheet, it cannot be moved.)
Brush with the egg-white mixture and repeat with 1 more sheet. Lay a fourth sheet on top but do not brush it.
With a knife, cut the dough into 4 strips lenghtwise and 5 strips crosswise, making 24 squares.
Press squares into muffin cups and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
Transfer the tartlets to a rack and let cool. Repeat the procedure with the remaining 4 sheets of phyllo and egg-white mixture. (The baked tartlet shells may be stored in a closed container at room temperature for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.)
To make smoked trout filling: In a food processor, combine cream cheese and smoked trout; process until fairly smooth. Add scallions and horseradish and pulse until just combined. (Alternatively, finely mince the smoked trout with a knife and combine with the cream cheese, scallion and horseradish in a small bowl.) (The smoked filling may be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
Shortly before serving, spoon or pipe about 1 heaping teaspoon of filling into each tartlet shell and garnish with shredded cucumber.
Comments
