Phyllo Pastry Mille-feuille with Pears and Brie

The phyllo pastry mille-feuille with pears and brie is an elegant and delicious recipe that combines the sweetness of pears with the creaminess of brie and the crispness of phyllo pastry. Here is the recipe to prepare this dish:

Ingredients

• 4 sheets of phyllo pastry
• 2 ripe but firm pears
• 200 g of brie cheese
• Melted butter as needed
• Brown sugar
• Honey as needed
• Chopped walnuts for garnish
• Salt and pepper as needed

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Peel the pears, remove the cores, and slice them not too thick.
3. Cut the brie into thin slices and set aside.
4. Lay a sheet of phyllo pastry on a flat surface and lightly brush it with melted butter. Overlap another sheet of phyllo pastry and repeat the operation until you have 4 layers.
5. Cut the layered phyllo pastry into equal-sized squares (usually around 10x10 cm, but you can adjust the size as desired).
6. Place the squares on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Be careful not to burn them.
7. While the phyllo pastry is baking, caramelize the pear slices in a non-stick pan with a spoonful of honey and a sprinkling of brown sugar, until they turn slightly golden. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
8. Assemble the mille-feuille by alternating a layer of phyllo pastry, some pieces of caramelized pear, and slices of brie, then phyllo pastry again and so on until you reach the desired height.
9. Finish with a final layer of phyllo pastry, a last slice of pear, and a sprinkle of chopped walnuts.
10. Serve immediately, to enjoy the contrast between the warmth of the melted cheese and the crispness of the pastry.

You can also garnish with a drizzle of honey on top for an extra touch of sweetness. This mille-feuille can be an elegant appetizer or a main dish, perfect for a special dinner.

Curiosity

Phyllo pastry is widespread in Eastern Mediterranean and Balkan cuisine and its main characteristic is its thinness, being almost transparent. In this recipe, it finds a creative use by pairing it with Western-tasting ingredients such as pears and brie.