I like filo pastry. I like using it because it’s so easy and it makes pies so much lighter than if you use a standard shortcrust. We use it a lot. This weekend I made a few spinach and feta pies but I had a few sheets of filo left over. Not wanting to let them go to waste I knocked up a plate of halloumi and caramelised onion & filo rolls. They’re so quick and easy to make and great for picnics and lunch-boxes too.

Recipe: Halloumi & Caramelised Onion filo rolls

Ingredients:
1 pack of halloumi, sliced into 6 thick slices
3 sheets of filo pastry
1 onion, sliced
1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
3 teaspoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of sugar
Salt & pepper
Small bowl of water

Method:
Put 2 teaspoons of olive oil into a frying pan, fry the sliced onion until soft but not brown. Add your teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and teaspoon of sugar, season with salt and pepper and stir. Set aside to cool.

Oil a baking tray and pre-heat your oven to 220. Take your filo and cut it in half (landscape, not portrait). You will need to work quickly with the filo to stop it drying out.

Take one half sheet of the filo, about an inch from the bottom of the filo place your slice of halloumi, top with some caramelised onion, dab the filo with water so when you fold, roll and press it the sheet will stick together. take the bottom inch and lay it over the halloumi, pat down, fold the sides in and then roll the halloumi down the length of the pastry making a roll. Place on your oiled baking sheet. Do the same with the rest of the halloumi.

Once all the rolls have been made (don’t worry if they look a bit rustic, it adds to their charm), brush with olive oil and put in the oven for ten minutes, check on them, they may need another few minutes, but don’t worry if they ooze a little, that’s normal and adds to their unctuousness.

Once they’re brown enough, remove from the oven and put on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes.

They’re lovely eaten still warm from the oven, or cold the next day. We liked them best with a tomato and chilli dipping sauce.

You can play about with this and maybe use sautéed peppers instead of the onion. I’m going to try making them with a thick chilli jam which I think would work really well. I’d not change the cheese though. The halloumi is great for this, it relaxes but doesn’t melt and has that amazing salty tang.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you can find more of my recipes here.