Amaretto Purses with Mascarpone and Fontina
Cute little appetizers made with phyllo dough and filled with mascarpone and fontina cheeses. Recipe by Suzanne Pherigo of Fort Collins, Colorado.
Recipe Ingredients:
2 cups (8 ounces). Wisconsin Fontina cheese, grated
2 cups (8 ounces) Wisconsin Mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1 tablespoon Amaretto*
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
25 sheets phyllo dough (14 x 8.5-inches), cut in half (7 x 4.25-inches)
4 to 5 tablespoons butter, melted
Cooking Directions:
- Blend the two cheeses together until smooth. Add the almonds, Amaretto, white pepper and cherries. Mix well and chill for at least one hour, up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
- Cover the 25 sheets of phyllo loosely with plastic wrap. Take out only the sheets that you are working with.
- Place a half sheet of phyllo on the work surface, brush with melted butter. Top with another half sheet of phyllo, brush with butter, and repeat with one more half sheet. Put a tablespoon of cheese filling in the center. Bring up the edges of the phyllo to form a purse (pouch) shaped packet. Place on a heavy baking sheet. Brush exposed surfaces with butter. Repeat to form 16 packets, placing them approximately 1-inch apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake until golden, approximately 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Makes 16 purses.
*Can substitute 1 tablespoon of non-alcoholic Amaretto syrup found at many coffee shops and specialty food stores.
Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.