(Pastry Fairy’s) Dried Fruit in Phyllo Packets

I make this with my Greek dinner menu, and it’s delicious. A bit time-intensive, but wonderfully sweet and aromatic. You can vary the dried fruit, and I often do. If you don’t want to use butter to spread between the phyllo layers, Earth Balance or nonstick spray works too, just not quite as tasty. The recipe is from Weight Watchers’ Take-Out Tonight!, an excellent cookbook which I highly recommend.

Makes six packets

• 1/4 pound dried figs, quartered
• 1/4 pound dried apricots, sliced
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 4 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted if frozen
• 1/2 stick butter, melted

Place the cut dried fruit, raisins, juice, honey, water, cinnamon stick, and vanilla in a medium pot. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until a thick compote forms. Take off heat, stir in almonds, and set aside.

Place one sheet of phyllo on a greased cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter and place the second sheet on top. Repeat until you have layered all four sheets. Score with a knife into six equal squares, then place 1/3 cup or so of filling on each square. Fold up into a neat little packet. Arrange the packets on the sheet. Brush the tops with a little more butter and bake at 350 for about 20 or 25 minutes, or until the phyllo is crisp. Serve with Greek yogurt on the side, or ice cream.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS

Substitute any of the following for some of the dried fruit: dried cherries, dried pineapple, dates, dried cranberries, dried pears, dried peaches, etc.

Substitute walnuts or sunflower seeds for the almonds.