Vegan Potato, Pepper and Olive Phyllo Cups

Vegan Potato, Pepper and Olive Phyllo Cups

Phyllo Cups: an elegant hors d’oeuvres! If you have never tried Vegan Potato, Pepper and Olive phyllo cups before- now is the time! They are such a great shortcut in the kitchen and they have a fantastic crunchy texture. You can push and pull them to be sweet, savory, or both. 

Finely chopped potatoes are quickly boiled, then mashed with olive oil and nutritional yeast to make a creamy, “cheesy” base for these low-fat, one-bite vegan appetizers. Smoked paprika adds a bacon-y note (but there’s no bacon here!). Make the filling the day before your next get-together, then fill, heat and serve on the day

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium all-purpose potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped
  • 2 large jarred piquillo peppers, finely chopped
  • 12 Kalamata olives, finely chopped
  • 30 mini phyllo shells

Instructions:

  1. Put the potatoes in a small saucepan, and add just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain through a sieve, and shake all the remaining water off. Return the potatoes to the saucepan, and add 2 tablespoons of the oil, nutritional yeast and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mash with a fork until roughly smooth (it’s OK if there are a few lumps). Set aside.
  2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat; add the shallots and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and just starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar, tomato paste, paprika and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are toasted and the oil turns brick red, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, and scrape every last bit into the mashed potatoes. Add half the parsley and peppers, the olives and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and stir to combine. (The filling can be made and refrigerated up to a day in advance.)
  3. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Arrange the phyllo cups on a baking sheet, and fill each with a heaping teaspoon of the potato mixture. Bake until the filling is hot, 4 to 5 minutes. Garnish with the remaining parsley and peppers.