Apricot Filo Purses Recipe
Ingredients
| 350 g/12oz filo pastry, thawed if frozen | ||
| 50 g/2 oz/1/4 cup butter, melted | ||
| 8 apricots, halved and stoned (pitted) | ||
| 60 ml/4 tbsp mincemeat | ||
| 12 ratafia biscuits (almond macaroons), crushed | ||
| 30 ml/2 tbsp grated marzipan | ||
| Icing (confectioners') sugar, for dusting | ||
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/ Gas 6. Cut the sheets of filo pastry into 32 squares, each about 18cm/7in. Brush four of the squares with a little melted butter and stack them, giving each layer a quarter turn to create a star shape. Repeat with the remaining filo squares to make eight stars.
2. Place an apricot half, hollow side up, in the centre of each pastry star. Mix the mincemeat, crushed ratafias and marzipan together and spoon a little of the mixture into the hollow in each apricot half.
3. Top with another apricot half, then bring the corners of each pastry star together and gently squeeze to make a gathered purse.
4. Place the purses on a baking sheet and brush each with a little melted butter. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Lightly dust with icing sugar and serve the purses immediately. Whipped cream, flavoured with a little brandy, makes an ideal accompaniment.
2. Place an apricot half, hollow side up, in the centre of each pastry star. Mix the mincemeat, crushed ratafias and marzipan together and spoon a little of the mixture into the hollow in each apricot half.
3. Top with another apricot half, then bring the corners of each pastry star together and gently squeeze to make a gathered purse.
4. Place the purses on a baking sheet and brush each with a little melted butter. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Lightly dust with icing sugar and serve the purses immediately. Whipped cream, flavoured with a little brandy, makes an ideal accompaniment.
Chef
