Holiday Goat Cheese Pockets For Salad

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Holiday Goat Cheese Pockets For Salad

by Nanny Bubby

I love to cook the unusual, the unexpected and something totally delicious, especially during the holidays. These goat cheese pockets always put an amazing smile on peoples faces when I begin to serve them. They are so unexpected, and no one actually knows what they are until you tell them and then I hear an, “Oooooh” from the guests at the table.
I love serving this over a green bean, arugula salad with orange sections from the tangelos I grow on my own tree in my “Victory” garden to highlight the orange zest in this recipe that adds so much to every bite of the goat cheese. Remember….. “Spread Love Like Butter” !

Total Time:

45 minutes

Serves:

4

Ingredients

  • 12 ozs. good goat cheese
  • ¾ c. dried cranberries
  • 2 Tbsp. orange zest about 2 large oranges
  • 8 sheets frozen phyllo dough defrosted
  • 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter melted
  • 4 Tbsp. plain dry bread crumbs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Remove the goat cheese wrapper and place the goat cheese into the freezer for 15-20 minutes prior to slicing.
  • Cut four equal slices of goat cheese from your log of the goat cheese. (HINT: place goat cheese in freezer for 20-30 minutes and it will cut without crumbling.)
  • Cover the stack of defrosted Phyllo dough with a slightly damp towel to keep it moist and keep it from drying so it is not difficult to work with.
  • Place one sheet of phyllo on a cutting board, brush it with butter, and sprinkle it with 3/4 teaspoon of bread crumbs.
  • Repeat with a second sheet of phyllo on top, brush it with butter, and sprinkle it with bread crumbs, continuing until you have 4 sheets of the phyllo stacked up.
  • Cut the phyllo in half crosswise to make two equal rectangles.
  • Place a slice of goat cheese in the middle of one stack of phyllo, sprinkle 5-8 cranberries on top, followed by a sprinkle of the orange zest.
  • Fold a corner diagonally over the cheese, and pleat the rest of the dough up and around the cheese, enclosing it completely.
  • Place the package, folded side up, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
  • Depending on the size of your phyllo dough, you may need to trim the tops of the package so it is flat on top when folded over.
  • Repeat the process, until you have 4 packages filled with goat cheese.
  • Brush the packages all over with melted butter, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
  • When you are ready, bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm over your favorite salad. Mine is a cold green bean, arugula salad with a Dijon vinaigrette.
  • Enjoy! Remember, "Spread Love Like Butter"

Video

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