Congratulations to our 2017
winner, Shauna Havey.
Our 2017 winner, Shauna Havey, created a scrumptious dish that quickly brought cries of "winner, winner" from our judges. No one could resist the appealing flaky crust that greeted them. Nor could they resist the fragrant mushroom filling that was enhanced by the incorporation of cremini and shiitake mushrooms.
Shawna wrote that her submission was "an enticing blend of Shiitake and Cremini mushrooms sautéed in butter, aromatics, and Marsala wine...sandwiched between delicate layers of phyllo dough and baked until crisp and golden. This irresistible appetizer is as pretty as it is flavorful and will be a crowd pleaser anytime you serve it." We couldn't agree more.
In fact, our judges not only commented on how lovely the squares are to look at with their golden multi-layer crust, but these judges are also believed that the squares would be an amazing addition to the dining table, suggesting that a mixed greens salad and fresh fruit might be the perfect complements to make the squares a luxurious lunchtime choice.
One last thought: the recipe makes 12 rather large appetizer servings. Seems like a lot to consume at one time ... or, maybe we just don't have enough friends! Anyway, we were quite pleased with the result when we enclosed the leftover pieces in plastic wrap and refrigerated them. Later in the week, as an experiment, we removed the plastic wrap and reheated the leftovers for about 5 minutes in a 350 degree oven - the squares were very well preserved, retaining all the things that made us love them in the first place: flavorful, yummy and flaky!
Shauna resides in the beautiful state of Utah with her husband Chad and two strapping sons, Mason (14) and Luke (9). When not busy at her full time job as a Disability Examiner for The Social Security Administration, she is most often found in her kitchen cooking up her next great recipe idea. In addition to cooking, Shauna loves photography, travel, and enjoying the great outdoors with her family.
Many thanks to Shauna and all who responded to our call for recipes. We're grateful to have received such an abundance of wonderful and creative submissions!
In spite of their elegant appearance, these rich
and flaky pillows of flavor are a breeze to make.
Marsala Mushroom Phyllo Squares
1/2 package or (about 20 sheets) phyllo dough
8 ounces fresh Shiitake mushrooms, diced
8 ounces fresh Cremini mushrooms, diced
1 stick salted butter, divided
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced fine
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1 teaspoon white pepper, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry Marsala Wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish
1 extra large egg
1/2 cup half and half
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place 3 Tablespoons of the butter into a wide skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and half of the salt and pepper. Sauté until the mushrooms are almost cooked through.
- Deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine. Continue to cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh oregano. Set mushrooms aside to cool.
- Place the remaining butter in a small bowl and melt in the microwave. Grease a jelly roll pan with some of the melted butter.
- Unwrap the phyllo dough. Place 3-4 sheets down into the greased jelly roll pan. The sheets will fit pretty well, but tuck in the ends if needed. Brush melted butter over the entire surface of the dough.
- Add 3-4 more sheets of dough, brush with butter. Repeat this one more time to create the bottom crust.
- Spread the cooled mushroom mixture all over the surface of the dough. Make sure it goes all the way to the edges.
- Place 3-4 sheets of dough over the filling and brush with butter. Repeat this process until all of the dough is used.
- Now, using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 squares. This is done while the dish is raw because if not, it will crumble apart when you try to cut it.
- Place the egg in a small bowl and beat it together with the half and half, and the remaining salt and white pepper. Pour this mixture over the entire surface, letting it sink into the crevices.
- Bake the squares for 40 minutes, until the phyllo dough is golden and crispy. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh oregano sprigs if desired.