Leftover Turkey Phyllo Wraps

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by your loved ones. It’s so nice to have a holiday that reminds us of the importance of being grateful and I love that we get a day dedicated to simply gather with friends and family.

 

One of the things I’m most thankful for is obviously family, but also the traditions my grandmothers, mom and aunts have passed down. On both my Italian and Greek side, it’s always been tradition to have endless amounts of homemade food at parties/celebrations. We all find a lot of comfort and happiness spending time with loved ones during a meal and have always embraced the “the more the merrier” phrase, never ceasing to invite anyone and everyone. I’m eternally grateful for that because it’s part of what makes our time together so special.

As promised, I’m here to share another Thanksgiving leftover recipe because there’s always room for more turkey – am I right? This leftover turkey recipe pays homage to my Yiayia and Nonna who were very close to each other. Any type of Greek food automatically makes me think of my Yiayia. The smell and the touch just reminds me of her and brushing the phyllo dough takes me back to all of the times we cooked in her kitchen together. The way the phyllo is wrapped is inspired by an appetizer my Nonna makes often. It’s her Nonna spin on tiropita (cheese triangles) and I love that she always finds ways to put her own touch on recipes.

I know, you’re probably wondering what’s inside, so let me tell you… these wraps are filled with leftover turkey, melty brie cheese and the most delicious and sweet cranberry pesto. And all of it is wrapped in the most buttery and flaky phyllo dough. It is SO good and doesn’t take long to put together.

If you end up making it, don’t forget to tag #marinamakeseats!

Leftover Turkey Phyllo Wraps

This recipe makes two wraps.

Ingredients

• Parchment paper
• 18 sheets of 12-inch phyllo dough, thawed (if you buy longer phyllo dough, don’t worry; just make a long wrap and split it instead of making two) 
• 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 pound of roasted turkey, sliced 
• 4 ounces of brie, sliced
• 1/4 cup of cranberry sauce for topping

Cranberry Pesto (please note that you will have leftover pesto, but put it in the freezer and use the rest at a later time – it’s perfect on pasta) 1 cup of basil

• 1/4 cup of oil
• 1/4 cup of cranberry sauce
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Half of a small garlic clove
• 1/2 cup of walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make the pesto, combine the basil, oil, cranberry sauce, cheese, salt, garlic and walnuts in a food processor until slightly smooth. Set aside.

Place the parchment paper on a hard, clean surface. Brush each sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter, layering each sheet on top of one another. Each wrap will use nine sheets (whether big or small).

Toward the bottom of the buttered phyllo dough, place a layer or two of turkey, a layer of brie cheese and a few dollops of cranberry pesto. Fold the bottom and sides of the phyllo over (please see pictures for reference) and brush with melted butter. Start rolling the wrap up until you reach the other side of the phyllo dough.

Using a paring knife, cut slits in the top of the wrap. Brush with the rest of the melted butter. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until golden.

Top with cranberry sauce and enjoy; allow the wrap to cool for five to ten minutes before eating.