Olive, Feta or Anchovy Fillo Fingers

Name: Fillo fingers
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 3 sheets fillo pastry; Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing; 2 tablespoons chopped pitted olives; 30g Feta, crumbled; 4 anchovies in oil, drained

Just about everything I’ve ever cooked has been inspired by something I’ve eaten before and these fillo fingers are no exception – my friend Janni usually whips these up to serve with drinks when friends gather at his place. They’re so simple they hardly need a recipe, and everyone’s always awaiting the next batch hot out of the oven. Fillings are limited only by your imagination, Janni sometimes even makes sweet ones with chopped nuts, dried fruit and candied peel to serve with coffee. And I sometimes serve skordalia alongside for dipping (see video). You can roll them well ahead of time, or even cook them in advance and quickly reheat them; the oven temperature can vary too, so you can pop them in with anything else that’s cooking; how’s that for inspiring! Whether they’re filled with anchovies, olives or tangy feta, I love a glass of Muses Estate Amuse Blanc, a medium-bodied Greek wine with lovely stone fruit and floral notes and a nice citrus zing to cut through the oil-rich fillo.

Makes 12 pieces

Ingredients

3 sheets fillo pastry
Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
2 tablespoons chopped pitted olives
(see below)
30g Feta, crumbled
4 anchovies in oil, drained

Note: I use Losada naturally-brined Cuquillo olives.

Method

Preheat oven to 150°C.
Lay a sheet of fillo on a clean, dry work bench and brush the top half of it well with oil.
Fold oiled half onto unoiled half and brush with more oil.
Spread the olives along the top about 1cm from the edge.
Roll up as tightly as possible, so it’s the thickness of a finger, and place on an oiled baking tray, seam-side down.
Repeat with another sheet of fillo and the Feta.
Repeat with the final sheet of fillo, laying the anchovies along the top in a row.
Brush the fillo fingers with oil and bake for 30-35 minutes, until well-coloured and crisp; don’t be tempted to remove them too soon as all the layers of pastry need to cook through.
Remove from the oven, cut each roll into 4 piece and serve hot.