This is the first time I've used phyllo dough. I've always been a bit intimidated by it due to the extra instructions regarding how to keep it from drying out. (I'm in Colorado, everything dries out in a matter of seconds.)
It turns out that phyllo isn't hard to work with at all. It's just shoot-
yourself-in-the-head tedious: remove damp cloth from pile of phyllo, take one strip, re-cover pile, brush with butter, remove damp cloth from pile of phyllo, take another strip, re-cover pile, brush with butter, repeat...
After folding up the first one, I decided I'd already had enough of the project and that I wanted to be done. The 3-inch strips of phyllo became 5-inch strips and the teaspoon of cheese filling became a heaping tablespoon.
I have endless patience for some repetitive tasks, but this was not one of them. I could easily imagine some chubby Food Network chef saying, "this is a great project to get your kids involved in the kitchen!" Um, only if you want to your kids to hate you...
I was ready to chuck the remaining phyllo in the trash, but Aaron rescued it a few seconds before it entered the panda's mouth. (The kitchen trashcan is shaped like a panda.) He's going to try making baklava over the weekend.
Despite all the whining, the cheese triangles turned out great and were delicious. The herbs (mint, dill, parsley, chives) and pine nuts helped make the feta cheese seem very light. And despite all the whining, I'll probably make these again. Just not for several months.
The recipe is from, From Tapas to Meze, by Joanne Weir. There is tons of herb chopping in each recipe, but this is one of the best cookbooks ever.
