Some recipes come about as a result of careful thought – a seed of an idea that grows ans morphs in the mind over time until it finally blossoms into the realised dish. Then there are recipes that come about when there’s not much left in the fridge. This recipe is the latter, but it was so delicious I just had to share it.

It’s a creamy, cheesy parcel with a crispy top and a bed of subtly flavoured veg hiding underneath with slithers of veggie bacon.

I used veggie bacon. A few walnuts would probably add great texture, too, if that’s to your taste.

Here’s what to do to make four goats cheese filo parcels, which would serve as a main at lunch or a generous starter at dinner.

Ingredients

1 large courgette
1 clove of garlic
4tbsp of light olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of salt
Generous mill of pepper
4 slices of veggie bacon
80g (2.8 oz) goat’s cheese
20g (0.7 oz) walnut halves
1 pack of filo pastry

Instructions

Fry the veggie bacon in a drop of oil until just cooked, then snip into rough 1cm pieces and set aside
Grate the courgette and press out as much moisture as possible in a colander or sieve
Finely slice the garlic
Warm 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan on a medium heat, then add the courgette, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper and fry for 4-6 minutes until soft and all the liquid has steamed away, stir in the bacon bits and walnuts, then set aside
Pre-rolled filo packs tend to have six rectangular sheets so open them out and then cut down the centre to create 12 square sheets
Place one square on a floured surface, brush with oil, then place another sheet on top at an angle, brush with oil, followed by a third sheet at another angle, then brush with oil again
Divide the courgette mix into four equal portions and place one portion in the middle of the pastry
Cut the goat’s cheese in to four equal discs and place one disc on top of the courgette in the middle of the pastry
Pull the pastry up around the filling to the middle and squeeze to create a parcel with a flowered top.
Brush all over with oil
Put on an oiled baking sheet
Repeat until you have four equal parcels
Bake at 180C (160C fan, 350F) for about 15 minutes until they’re a rich golden brown
On a plate, sweep the balsamic glaze while squeezing to create a broad zigzag pattern, then place a parcel on top and serve

Here’s the recipe for these goats cheese filo parcels in an easy to print format.

Goats cheese filo parcels

Servings:

Author: Emily Leary

A creamy, cheesy parcel with a crispy top and a bed of subtly flavoured veg hiding underneath with slithers of veggie bacon.

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Metric - Ounces

Ingredients

1 large courgette
1 clove of garlic
4 tbsp of light olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of salt
Generous mill of pepper
4 slices of veggie bacon
80 g goat's cheese
20 g walnut halves
1 pack of filo pastry

Instructions

Fry the veggie bacon in a drop of oil until just cooked, then snip into rough 1cm pieces and set aside
Grate the courgette and press out as much moisture as possible in a colander or sieve
Finely slice the garlic
Warm 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan on a medium heat, then add the courgette, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper and fry for 4-6 minutes until soft and all the liquid has steamed away, stir in the bacon bits and walnuts, then set aside
Pre-rolled filo packs tend to have six rectangular sheets so open them out and then cut down the centre to create 12 square sheets
Place one square on a floured surface, brush with oil, then place another sheet on top at an angle, brush with oil, followed by a third sheet at another angle, then brush with oil again
Divide the courgette mix into four equal portions and place one portion in the middle of the pastry
Cut the goat's cheese in to four equal discs and place one disc on top of the courgette in the middle of the pastry
Pull the pastry up around the filling to the middle and squeeze to create a parcel with a flowered top.
Brush all over with oil
Put on an oiled baking sheet
Repeat until you have four equal parcels
Bake at 180C (160C fan, 350F) for about 15 minutes until they're a rich golden brown
On a plate, sweep the balsamic glaze while squeezing to create a broad zigzag pattern, then place a parcel on top and serve