I am by no means gifted in the gastronomy department, and my husband is a wizard in the kitchen, so I’m the backup chef my my house. Being a full time working mom doesn’t help in the time department either. That being said, those times when I decide to cook, I try to step up my game and go all out. Cooking is so thing I want to get even better at, and I really do love the process once I’ve started.
OK, reasons I love this recipe:
1. I love goat cheese.
2. You can prep these well in advance of any event and pop in the fridge – then just stick in the oven and boom, you are done.
3. I think anything with an herb accoutrement is particularly stunning!
4. Did I mention they have goat cheese, oh yes, and butter. Butter and goat cheese… Yum…. Ok, getting back on point…
And yes, this is the opposite of my juicing post, and I don’t care, it’s ok to indulge sometimes!
Ingredients and Equipment
1. 1 rectangular package of filo sheets
2. Leaves from 16 sprigs of fresh thyme
3. Half stick of salted butter, melted
4. 125 grams of goat cheese (either soft or crumbled will work)
5. Bottle of fresh Florida honey
6. Sea Salt
7. Parchment Paper
8. Baking Sheet
9. Knife
10. Brush
The Incidentals
1. If frozen, set filo dough out to thaw for approximately 2 hours
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. Unroll filo sheets (approximately 3 layers thick) and cut in half both horizontally and vertically, making 4 rectangular squares measuring approximately 5-6” long, laying them on a wooden cutting board.
4. Generously brush the upward facing side of pastry with butter prior to rolling your goat cheese doobie
5. Sprinkle thyme leaves along the left side of each pastry rectangle and fold it over to cover.
6. Line the right side of each pastry with goat cheese, no thicker than the diameter of a standard pencil at most
7. Drizzle honey inside the right side (a/k/a goat cheese side) of the pastry
8. Roll the pastry over the goat’s cheese and down to the thyme side
9. Repeat the process and make all 4 Goat Cheese Cigars from the sheets of filo. Once all four are completed, brush butter along the inner seam to help seal and then brush the top generously again with butter
10. Repeat the above process for remainder of filo dough in single package
11. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. If you would like a little extra browning, put under the broiler for 20 seconds or so, but watch carefully as to not risk your goat cheese cigar into a real flaming cigar
12. Allow to cool enough to transfer onto serving tray and garnish with fresh sprigs of thyme and drizzle with honey
13. This dish is best when made just before serving; however, you can prepare all cigars ahead of time and then just pop them in the oven to look like a pro.
Bon appetite! 😉
This is beautiful and appealing and I am going to make it!