Sausage-rice Phyllo Casserole
This is the perfect cross between flaky potpie and classic casserole. I created it to use up ingredients I had stocked in my kitchen. Mix up the herbs and spices to fit any taste. Jenn Tidwell, Fair Oaks, CA
Prep: 1 hour
• Bake: 35 min. Makes: 8 servings
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp. dried basil 1 tsp. dried oregano 1/3 cup chardonnay or chicken broth
6 medium tomatoes,
peeled and crushed
1 medium carrot, peeled
and grated
41/2 tsp. tomato paste
1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. paprika
11/2 cups frozen peas
3 cups cooked rice
2 green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley 11/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup grated Romano cheese 10 sheets phyllo dough
(14x9-in. size) 1/4 cup olive oil
1. In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, 6-8 minutes, breaking into crumbles. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain. Add garlic, basil and oregano to skillet; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add the chardonnay, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, 1-2 minutes.
2. Stir in tomatoes, carrot, tomato paste, bay leaf, salt, garlic powder, paprika and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Cool.
3. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir peas into sausage mixture. In a small bowl, combine rice, green onions and parsley. In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer half of the rice mixture,
¹₂ cup Parmesan cheese, ¹₄ cup Romano cheese, sausage mixture,
¹₂ cup Parmesan cheese and ¹₄ cup Romano cheese. Top with remaining rice and cheeses.
4. Unroll phyllo dough. Layer five sheets of phyllo on top of filling, brushing each with oil. Brush the remaining five phyllo sheets with oil, crumple gently and place on top of the casserole.
5. Bake until crust is golden and crisp and filling is bubbly, 35-40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Test Kitchen tip: To make ahead, assemble casserole a day in advance of serving. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed.
1 piece: 451 cal., 21g fat (8g sat. fat), 46mg chol., 1085mg sod., 45g carb. (6g sugars, 4g fiber), 22g pro.