Gluten Free Halloumi, Honey and Chilli Filo Cigars
Salty, sweet and spicy all wrapped up in a crisp, paper thin pastry, these gluten free halloumi, honey and chilli filo cigars are the perfect finger food for any occasion. They also happen to be super easy to put together and there are even make ahead options too!
Filo pastry is a staple in the finger food category. Without gluten you could be forgiven for thinking it's out of reach, but not with this recipe up your sleeve! Once you have a batch of my incredible Gluten Free Filo Pastry, the world is your crispy, golden oyster. Just imagine the possibilities...
Cheese was one of the first things I thought of when I mastered my filo pastry recipe. This recipe uses halloumi cheese to give that incredible, salty chewiness in contrast with the sweet, spicy honey that's drizzled over it. Trust me, these cigars are incredibly addictive!
Tips and Tricks
This recipe is a great place to start if you're not feeling overly confident with working with gluten free filo pastry. There's no skill required when folding the cigars and the sticks of halloumi make it very easy to roll them up. And, with halloumi maintaining its shape when heated, you don't even need to worry about sealing the cigars completely! Some of the honey will leach out in the oven no matter how well you seal them, but its sweetness will still be there. Here are my tips and tricks to get the best possible result with your filo cigars:
Keep the pastry covered when not in use: because it's so thin filo pastry dries out very quickly, so keep the sheets covered by a damp tea towel until you use them.
Go easy on the butter: I know, I know, I don't normally give health tips, but that's not what this is. I find that gluten free filo can get a bit bogged down by too much butter, so I only use a light brushing between the layers of pastry. When it's time to bake the pastries, though, that's when I go nuts and give them a really generous coating!
Use more butter for glue: this recipe calls for the pastry to be folded over and then rolled. To help keep the cigars together I like to dab a little more butter wherever the pastry is going to come together when it's rolled up.
Bake at a lower temperature for longer: most pastry recipes go hard and fast when it comes to baking. My filo pastry needs time to crisp up and caramelise, so a slightly lower temperature and a bit longer in the oven are best.
Can I make the cigars ahead of time?
Absolutely! These filo pastry cigars are a champion when it comes to organisation. There are two options for making them ahead of time; assembling and then refrigerating for up to two days, or assembling then freezing. For both options it's important to wrap the cigars tightly so they don't dry out, and bake them straight from the fridge or freezer. You may need to give them a minute or two more in the oven.
Storage
These filo cigars are best when fresh out of the oven, but if you happen to have any leftovers (I'll be surprised if you do!) they keep well in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat them in a 180ºC oven for about 10 minutes.
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