 Italian Sausage Filled Phyllo Cups| 4 sheets | phyllo dough | | 3 tablespoons | unsalted butter, melted | | 2 tablespoons | olive oil | | 1/2 large | onion, minced | | 1 red | bell pepper, finely chopped | | 4 cloves | garlic, minced | | 1 pound | Italian sausage, crumbled | | 1 teaspoon | dried oregano | | 1 teaspoon | dried basil | | 1/4 cup | pine nuts, toasted | | 1/2 teaspoon | crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste | | 1 cup | Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, finely grated, divided | | Salt and pepper to taste |
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 F. Generously grease the cups of 2, 24-cup mini muffin pans with butter. .
Stack the 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing butter between each layer and across the top surface. Trim the large sheets into a 12x16 inch rectangle. Cut large rectangles into 48, 2x2 inch squares. Cover squares with plastic wrap then with a damp towel to keep them pliable. .
Take each phyllo dough square and push into the greased muffin cups, pushing along the sides and bottom to mold the cups. Note: Minor tearing may occur and is normal. If a hole appears in the cup while molding, brush with butter and use a piece of the scrap to cover it. .
Bake in preheated oven 5 to 8 minutes until crisp and light golden-brown. Cool completely on wire crack in muffin pan before removing in order to maintain shape. .
In a large, heavy-bottom skillet or sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add onions, bell pepper, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until the onions have softened some, 3 to4 minutes. Add sausage, oregano, and basil to skillet. Brown the sausage, breaking up into small crumbles, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Add the pine nuts, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir to combine. .
Preheat oven to low broil. Divide the filling between all of the phyllo cups, a heaping teaspoon apiece. Top with remaining parmesan cheese. Place under broiler and watch closely. Allow cheese to melt but keep a close eye on the phyllo cups to prevent burning. .
Note: To reheat, sprits lightly with water. Place in a preheated 300 F oven for 5 minutes until warm.
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