Black Bean Phyllo Triangles

This recipe was inspired by both my favorite empanada from Mama’s Cuban Kitchen and my love of Phyllo. Traditionally, Phyllo is used to make desserts like Baklava or savory snacks like Spanakopita, I’ve also made a sweet and Savory Peach & Gorgonzola Phyllo Tart with it. One of the greatest attributes about Phyllo is that it creates buttery and crispy layers that you can sneak additional flavors into. This recipe is just one way that you can fill these little buttery pastries.

Ingredients

6 sheets Phyllo Dough
1 can Black Beans
1/2 Spanish Onion
Olive Oil
1 large pinch Chipotle Pepper Powder
1 pinch Garlic Powder
1/2 pinch Onion Powder
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Butter (about 3-4 tbs melted)

Preheat your oven to 375° F.

In a sauce pan add a drizzle of Olive Oil and 1/2 Spanish Onion, diced. Let the onion sweat on medium heat and become translucent.

Add in 1 can of drained and rinsed Black Beans and let simmer. Add in Chipotle Pepper Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt & Pepper and mix. Continue to simmer until the beans are warmed through and begin to lose their shape. You don’t want to press them too much, but the paste that will form, will allow the filling to hold its shape. Leave some black beans whole for texture.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Place a piece of parchment paper in an oven safe dish and place 1 piece of parchment paper on your work surface. Place 1 sheet of Phyllo on your covered work surface and paint 1/2 of the longer side with melted butter. Fold in half length-wise and paint the top with additional melted butter.

Take 1 heaping tablespoon of the Black Bean filling and place a dollop on the dough closest to you. - I like to place the dollop at an angle facing the direction I’m going to fold. - (If I am folding starting with the bottom left corner my dollop will be placed like this “\”).

Take the bottom left corner and bring it to the right hand side of the Phyllo dough to form the first triangle. Continue folding side to side like you would fold a flag until you reach the top. If needed add more melted butter to the top of the completed triangle and add a small pinch of Sea Salt to the top. Repeat for remaining Phyllo.

Bake at 375° F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, check the pastries and brush on more melted butter to the top if dried. Bake for another 5 minutes until the triangles become golden. Flip the triangles and bake for another 5 minutes so that the bottom become golden.

Once fully golden remove and let stand before eating & enjoy!