Mushroom Phyllo Pouches

The first time I tasted these was when our friends Leeann and Lisa hosted a Christmas gathering in which they prepared all of the amazing food! The most popular item on their menu were what they called "Feliz Navidad Phyllo Mushroom Pouches". They looked professionally made and they tasted amazing, but L&L were adamant that they were very simple to make.

I was hesitant at first, having never worked with phyllo pastry before and hearing about how finicky it is, but one day I decided to try it out myself. I combined their recipe and tips with another recipe I found online, and after successfully making a test batch, I decided to make them for a work potluck. They were well-received!

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Mushroom Phyllo Pouches
Adapted from friends Lisa and Leeann, and The Pioneer Woman

INGREDIENTS:
1 package (1 roll) phyllo dough
½ cup butter
4 cups chopped mushrooms (any kind you like)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely diced
½ can mushroom soup
Splash of dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Melt half of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion. Add mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Add white wine, mushroom soup and seasonings. Leave on heat until the mushrooms have been cooked and the liquid volume has reduced. Add parmesan cheese to help soak up any excess liquid.

2. Melt the other half of the butter in a bowl.

3. Unroll phyllo dough. Working quickly, place 1 sheet on a flat surface (on top of a sheet of tin foil makes for easy clean up) and brush lightly with melted butter. Place another sheet on top and brush with butter. Repeat this until you have four sheets of phyllo. Do not brush top layer with butter.

4. Cut this buttered stack into twelve equal rectangle/squares (about the size of wonton wrappers, approximately 3x3”). Using a pizza cutter works well. Keep all unused phyllo pastry under a damp paper towel until ready for use.

5. Place a teaspoonful of mushroom mixture in the middle of each square. Gather each square into a neat little bundle, pinching the neck so that it remains as closed as possible when it bakes.

6. Place bundles on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet, pressing lightly so that they’re flat on the bottom.

7. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately.
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