Citrus Olive Thyme Confit Phyllo Bites

Everything you could ever want to transpire across your taste buds: creamy lemon ricotta whip, topped with a citrus lemon-orange confit, kalamata olives, and fresh thyme (both sweet and savory), and then baked inside a miniature phyllo dough pastry cup – the perfect bite! 

Buttery, crunchy, creamy, sweet, tart, and savory – these bites are all in one!

 

What is confit?

It’s a traditional French cooking method, and originally referred to anything preserved by slowly cooking it in any liquid; fruits, for example, would be confited in sugar syrup. Nowadays, however, it tends to refer to food that’s been slow-cooked in fat and not necessarily aged or stored.

 

Most foods can be improved with a little bit of oil, but confiting takes things a step further. By gently poaching fish, meat, or vegetables in oil (or animal fat) slowly over a low heat they become rich, meltingly tender, and (as you can probably guess) incredibly tasty. 

–Great British Chefs

Citrus Olive Thyme Confit Phyllo Bites

10 (1 pkg.) frozen phyllo cups
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, room temperature 
1 pinch fresh lemon juice

 

Citrus Confit:
1 whole lemon, chopped
1 whole seedless orange (navel), chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
sea salt and pepper

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
2 tsp. fresh thyme
freshly grated pepper

 

In a small pot, combine the lemon, orange, olive oil, sugar, and salt and pepper. 

 

Bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer. 

Cover and cook for 30-60 minutes, until very much reduced.

Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until well combined.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Cover the citrus mixture and simmer for 10-12 minutes more, until super thick, stirring constantly.

 

Meanwhile, whisk together the ricotta and fresh lemon juice.

Fill each pastry cup with just a dab of the lemon ricotta.

Next, top with another dab of the citrus confit.

Top with 1-2 olives.

 

Bake for 10 minutes, or so, until golden brown and bubbly.

 

Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with fresh thyme and freshly grated pepper.

 

Swoon at every bite.