Filo Cigars with Roasted Fennel, Olives, and Feta

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the fennel and onion

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Finely chop the fennel and onion. Heat 15 ml of olive oil in a pan, add the vegetables, and cook over medium heat for 10–12 minutes. Stir occasionally; the fennel should soften and brown in places, but not remain watery. Leave the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes.

   
2. 2

   Mix the filling

   Chop the olives and crumble the feta. Zest 2 g of lemon peel and squeeze out 10 ml of juice. In a bowl, combine the cooled fennel and onion with the olives, feta, egg, breadcrumbs, dill, lemon zest, and juice. Add 1 g of salt and 0.5 g of pepper, then mix.

   
3. 3

   Wrap the cigars

   Cut each filo sheet lengthwise into two strips. Work with one strip at a time, covering the remaining pastry with a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel. Lightly brush a strip with olive oil, place about one-twelfth of the filling at one end, and fold the edges inward. Roll it into a tight cigar. Make 12 cigars this way.

   
4. 4

   Bake until crisp

   Arrange the cigars seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the remaining olive oil. Bake at 200 °C for 18–22 minutes, until evenly golden and crisp to the touch.

   
5. 5

   Cool briefly and serve

   After removing the cigars from the oven, leave them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so the filling can firm up and the pastry stays crisp. Serve warm or lukewarm; one snack serving is 3 cigars.