Filo Pastizzi with naspli and soft gbejna

‘I made these pastries using filo from the leftovers of a pie 5 days before.  It refrigerates well and unlike other filo pastry does not tend to dry up.  The pastizzi [diamond shaped pastries] are flaky and a healthier alternative to the shop bought ones.   If you make them using fresh filo you will have a much smoother finish.  

The combination of soft gbejna, medlars [naspli] and honey is amazing’

You will need to make a fruit compote and some other ingredients:

2 soft fresh gbejna, chopped up into small squares
6 sheets filo pastry cut into long strips

For the compote you will need:
12 medlars, pitted and roughly chopped with skin on
1 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 vanilla pod
3 tablespoons water

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir and bring the mix to a gentle boil.  Continue cooking until the liquid in the pan has reduced.  Taste and add more honey to suit your preferences.  Allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 170C.  Brush a baking tray with olive oil.

Cut the filo pastry into strips and lay out each strip onto a clean surface.  Brush it with olive oil.  Place a teaspoon of the medlar compote in the corner of the filo strip closest to you.  On top of that place a small piece of chopped fresh gbejna.

Fold the pastry diagonally to create a triangle shape.  Continue folding into a triangle shape.  Brush the surface with olive oil and place on the baking tray.

Continue making the pastizzi until you have used up all the filling and gbejnas.

Place in a preheated oven and bake for around 20 minutes until they are cripsy.

Take out of the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Serve warm with more honey if desired.  They are also delicious cold.