On a recent trip to the wonderful seaside town of Nazaré, Portugal, we enjoyed a fabulous dinner at a restaurant called Tosca Gastrobar. It had a cozy vibe and absolutely scrumptious food. I was served one of the most delicious and pretty salads there which became the inspiration for this Goat Cheese and Honey Salad recipe.
Crisp organic greens, tart tomatoes, and sweet apples lay the foundation for this amazing salad that is truly a delicious meal in itself. Make the cheese wrapped in filo earlier in the day and crisp them in the oven just before serving.
Goat Cheese and Honey Salad
Author: Eva Marie
Recipe type: Salad
Ingredients
- 4 sheets of Filo dough
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 4 rounds of great quality aged goat cheese (I love Vermont Creamery’s Bijou for this recipe)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1-5 ounce box mixed baby greens
- 1 dozen assorted small tomatoes, halved
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, sliced thinly
- Pinch of salt
- Honey to drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Cut the four sheets of Filo dough into quarters and cover with a slightly damp paper towel.
- Brush the bottom of a sheet pan with a little bit of the butter.
- Place one of the quartered sheets of Filo on the sheet pan and brush with butter.
- Arrange another sheet of the Filo on top of the first sheet, placing it so that the corners do not line up (see photo). You want the sheets to be slightly staggered.
- Brush with butter and repeat the process with two more sheets of Filo for a total of four layers.
- Place one of the goat cheese in the center of the dough, and gently lift the Filo up around the cheese, pinching it together slightly just above the cheese, creating a purse shape.
- Brush the outside of the purse with butter and then press down the top of the Filo, slightly flattening the top.
- I like to cut a narrow strip of dough, about 1½ inches wide to wrap around the base of the purse, giving it a more finished look. Butter the strip as you wrap it around. (see photo below)
- Repeat with the 3 remaining cheese.
- Place the Filo purses in the middle rack of the oven and reduce the heat to 375 degrees.
- Bake for 15 minutes, checking it occasionally to make sure the top isn’t browning too quickly. If it does appear to be very brown, cover with a foil tent and continue to bake.
- When the sides of the purses are golden brown, remove from oven and allow to cool on the sheet pan.
- In a small sauté pan over medium heat, toast the nuts with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir constantly until the sugar melts and the nuts are toasted. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
- Arrange lettuce greens on four plates.
- Place one of the Filo purses in the center of the greens.
- Scatter tomato halves, nuts, and apple slices over greens.
- Serve with the salad dressing and honey.
- Drizzle the honey over the Filo purse and the dressing over the veggies.
Goat Cheese and Honey Salad Dressing
Author: Eva Marie
Recipe type: Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk all of the ingredients together until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
Enjoy!
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The arrangement on the plate is just gorgeous, Eva Marie!I will definitely be doing my best to duplicate the beauty and great taste you’ve created. It’s so appealing!
Hi Debra! Somehow I missed a couple of your comments – I apologize! Thank you so much for your always kind words. I hope all is well with you!