Mushroom and Goat Cheese Purses

By gmbeckett

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, plus 1/2 stick melted
• 2 shallots, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 10 cups chopped cremini or button mushrooms ( about 1 1/2 pounds)
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese (4 ounces)
• 8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium. Add shallots, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring until shallots are translucent, 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper; cook until mushrooms are tender and any liquid has evaporated, 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then stir in goat cheese.

Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a work surface and lightly brush with melted butter (keep extra phyllo covered while you work). Stack 3 more sheets into 12 squares. Repeat with remaining 4 sheets and more butter to make 24 squares total.

Top each square with 1 tbsp mushroom mixture. Gather and pinch phyllo around mushroom mixture to form purses with ruffled tops. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.