Potato and Caramelized Apple Beggar’s Purses
I developed this recipe originally for Rosh Hashanah but honestly didn’t have a chance to post it. We have, thank G-d, been celebrating our grandson Lavi and Maor’s upcoming wedding in various ways, the latest was a beautiful and spiritual event, the separation of dough from challah. It was a ladies only get together and we dressed in white and had an amazing and spiritually uplifting time with marvelous food and a speech from a Rabbanit.
The countdown to the wedding begins. Since it’s in a few days, I’m posting post Yom Kippur, not a general habit of mine, but I’m afraid I won’t get a chance and this recipe is perfect for Sukkot.
These wonderful beggar’s purses are mostly savory and the contrast with the sauteed onion and potato and the caramelized apple gives so many delicious flavor notes that not a crumb was left. Crispy, with a soft filling, your crowd will go wild for these. You can serve it as a majestic first course or a fabulous side dish. Although it’s vegetarian, (even vegan), it has an almost meaty note to it.
So gather your ingredients
Peel the apples and the potatoes and cut the potatoes into large chunks so that when you pulse in the food processor, you will get fairly similar sized shards.
and chop carefully in pulses till it looks like this:
Set aside. Btw, if you chop into these sized shards, no need to squeeze out liquid from the potatoes cuz it ain’t got none.
Chop the peeled apples into smallish chunks.
Place oil in a large skillet and cook the apple with a pinch of salt, cinnamon (not too much just a hint of it) and the brown sugar.
Peek to see if apples are browned after about 5 minutes cooked on medium. Flip to the other side.
Keep cooking on medium low heat until apples are caramelized and the liquid is basically gone.
Check to see that apples are soft. Place apples in bowl to cool. Wipe out the pan, add more oil and place potato shards into pan and pat down and sprinkle with salt.
This will take about 8-10 minutes or so and let them brown a bit and then flip over (it’s not meant to stick together so if it falls apart, no worries).
Now cover the potatoes with a lid or tinfoil and let continue to cook until potatoes are tender.
Place into bowl with caramelized apples and let cool.
Wipe out the pan again, add more oil and sautee the chopped onion till browned. Add to the apple potato mixture and toss.
Make sure the filling is completely cooled.
Take the phyllo sheets and take 3 at a time, covering the remaining sheets with a lightly dampened towel so they don’t dry out. Oil spray or brush oil with pastry brush on each of the three sheets and stack one on top of the other. Trim edges if necessary. For nice sized purses, cut sheets in half so they are squareish. Now take a nice palmful of filling using a spoon and mound in the center of your phyllo square.
Remember you have generously oil sprayed so take opposite ends of the squares and bring together pinching them shut and do this all around the pastry so it looks like a gathered pouch
Spray or brush the outside of the purses with oil.
Place in preheated oven 350 F/180 C and bake for 25 -30 minutes or until purses turn a golden brown. Remember, your filling is cooked so this is to make sure the phyllo layers get crispy.
Serve as a magnificent first course or as a side dish.
Potato and Caramelized Apple Beggar’s Purses
Ingredients
Method
- Place chopped apples into a large frying pan (in one layer) with about 2 tablespoons oil and a pinch of salt all over the apples and sprinkle with the cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and let them brown a little and flip to the other side. Sprinkle on top and let the apples cook down and toss till they get dark and caramelized and fully cooked but make sure they don’t burn, there should be very little to no liquid remaining in the pan. When caramelized, transfer to bowl.
- In the meantime, take the peeled potatoes, cut up into smaller chunks, place in food processor and process until they look like chunky shards, not too small. Wipe out the same skillet you used for the apples.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil and press the potatoes into the bottom of the pan. Let cook on medium low for about 6-7 minutes and peek to see if browning. If so flip to other side (don’t worry if it’s falling apart it’s not meant to be a pancake) and continue cooking with a lid on or cover with tinfoil. Cook until the potatoes are tender. Let cool completely and add to the apples. I usually have sautéed or caramelized onions in my freezer ( I prepare them in big batches and freeze in ice cube trays) but if not, in the same pan, wipe out, add more oil and sauté your onion.
- Let cool and in bowl with caramelized apples and potatoes add the onion. Stir together until well combined. Take a bite to check if you need a bit more salt.
- Take your phyllo sheets and take 3 at a time, covering the remaining sheets with a lightly dampened towel so they don’t dry out. Oil spray or brush oil with pastry brush on each of the three sheets and stack one on top of the other. Trim edges if necessary. For nice sized purses, cut sheets in half so they are squareish. Now take a nice palmful of filling using a spoon and mound in the center of your phyllo square. Remember you have generously oil sprayed so take opposite ends of the squares and bring together pinching them shut and do this all around the pastry so it looks like a gathered pouch. Twist the top and oil spray the outside all over. Place on parchment paper lined rimmed baking tray. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Bake until golden brown about 25-30 minutes. Remember the filling is cooked so this is more about browning the layers of pastry. Serve majestically as a first course or as an amazing side dish. Suitable for your finest holiday meal. Interestingly, the filling almost tastes like there’s meat in it but this is vegetarian and actually vegan!
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