One-bite canapes jam-packed with holiday flavor.
My grandmother was an amazing holiday host. Every December she welcomed our entire extended family for a full day of holiday food, gifts, and togetherness, beginning with a sit-down breakfast of sausage egg casserole and cinnamon rolls and culminating with a mid-afternoon feast featuring a whole ham, deep-fried shrimp, and at least three kinds of pie. And of course in between all that were holiday cookies and candies galore.
I share my grandmother’s love for entertaining. The parties that I throw for my friends in my tiny New York apartment are very different from my grandmother’s all-day family extravaganzas, but I like to think they express the same joy in hospitality as her’s. This week’s recipe for Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Phyllo Bites is not something she ever served any of her guests, but I’m willing to bet she’ll love them when I bake them for her this year!
Tiny crispy phyllo cups filled with chive goat cheese and topped with roasted beets and citrus apple slaw. Rich and creamy from the cheese, crunchy and tart from the apple, sweet and earthy from those beets, these one-bite canapes are jam-packed with delicious flavor that will have everyone reaching for a second, or third . . . or sixth, but who’s counting?!
These phyllo bites might look complex, but they’re actually very simple. Store-bought phyllo cups are filled with a four-ingredient goat cheese mousse and topped with finely cubed beets and thinly sliced apple that’s been tossed in a little lemon juice and salt. There’s nothing difficult or complicated; the most time-consuming part is the assembly—and during the holidays there are usually plenty of extra hands around, so snag an enterprising family member and get them to help!
Whether you’re as confident and experienced at hosting as my grandmother, or just starting out with your first small gathering this year, I hope you’ll be inspired and encouraged to spread some joy through your hospitality this holiday season. And if you’re tentative to host people and don’t know where to begin, let these delicious phyllo bites be your starting spot!
Enjoy!
Beet and Goat Cheese Phyllo Bites
(Makes 30)
For the beets:
2 medium red beets (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
For the whipped goat cheese:
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
3 tablespoons minced chives
For the citrus apple slaw:
1 granny smith apple
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
To assemble:
30 Phyllo cups, crisped
Additional olive oil
Additional kosher salt
Additional pepper
Finely sliced chives
Special equipment: foil, hand blender
Method
For the beets:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Scrub the beets well under cold water—no need to peel—and place in the center of a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, and season with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and a sprinkle of freshly grated pepper pepper. Fold foil into a packet that encloses the beets completely. Roast in the preheated oven for 90-105 minutes, or until the beets are fork-tender but not mushy.
Remove from the oven and open the packet to let some steam escape. When the beets are cool enough to handle, remove the skins by rubbing the beets between paper towels (or a kitchen towel that you are willing to let be permanently stained). Cut the beets into ½-inch cubes.
For the whipped goat cheese:
With a hand blender, whip cream cheese until very light and fluffy. Beat in goat cheese and salt, then switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in chives.
For the citrus apple slaw:
Wash the apple well. No need to peel—the bright green skin is pretty and adds to the flavor! Stand apple upright on a cutting board and slice into ¼-inch thick rounds from top to bottom (when you reach the core, turn the apple 180 degrees and begin cutting from the other side). Cut each round into thin ¼-inch-thick batons and slice each baton crosswise in half or thirds, depending on length. Toss apple batons with lemon juice immediately so they don’t brown and cover. Season with salt right before assembling.
To assemble:
Spoon a dollop of whipped goat cheese into each phyllo cup. Top with 3-4 pieces of beets, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Top with a small mound of citrus slaw and sprinkle with a confetti of finely sliced chives.
Originally posted November 15, 2021.