With the Holidays just around the corner, it is more than certain that small gatherings, parties, and entertaining are on the horizon for many of us. No matter how small or how large the scale of the get-together, whether you are hosting, or, just offered to bring a dish, now is the perfect time to try something new!
These juicy apple, nutty Fontina cheese, and sweet caramelized onion filo bites are a great appetizer for any occasion and can be easily assembled ahead of time, then baked as your guests arrive. The combination of the slowly caramelized onions, the crisp cinnamon-infused diced apples and delicious melty cheese is unbeatable, especially since it is all contained in a crispy, buttery filo shell.
How to make the apple, Fontina and caramelized onion filo cups
–Gather all the ingredients for the filo bites: caramelized onions and apples, grated cheese, filo, melted butter.
–Cut the filo stacks into 3″ squares
— Form the filo shells
— Fill the filo shells with the mixture of caramelized onions and apples, then top with the cheese and bake
— Filo bites just out of the oven
Here is the recipe for the apple, Fontina, and caramelized onion filo bites; I hope you include these tasty morsels in your Holiday baking and your festive entertaining this year. I know they will be an instant success and a real crowd pleaser!
This post is a collaboration with Fillo Factory, a great quality filo brand which I highly recommend for any sweet and savory baking!
- 2 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 TBSP. butter
- 2 large onions, chopped
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- 2 med. Honey Crisp apples
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 TBSP. golden brown sugar
- 4 oz. Italian Fontina (or Gruyère) cheese, shredded
- ½ package FILLO FACTORY filo dough, defrosted & at room temperature
- ¼-⅓ cup butter for the filo, melted
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and the butter. Once the butter melts add the onions. Sauté the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are light golden brown. Add the salt and continue to cook and stir until the onions are well caramelized, about 20 minutes.
- While the onions sauté, core and dice the apples (without peeling them). Combine the diced apples, cinnamon, and sugar in a bowl.
- Add the apples to the skillet with the onions and sauté until the apples just begin to soften. Do not overcook. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray two mini muffin tins with oil and set them aside.
- Unroll the 14”x18” package of filo and, with a sharp knife, cut it in half length-wise, leaving you with two stacks of 14”x9” sheets of filo. You will only need one of the stacks, so roll up the other, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and return to the refrigerator.
- Place one sheet of filo on a clean surface with the longest side in front of you. Brush with some of the melted butter to coat. Place a second sheet of filo on top of the first and butter it again. After that, repeat with a third sheet and then a fourth (keep the rest of the filo covered while you work so it won’t dry out.). Cut the stack of four filo sheets into 3 strips horizontally. Then, cut the fillo strips 4 times vertically, forming 12 squares, each about 3”x3”. Lift each square of filo and gently place in a mini muffin tin hole. Repeat with the rest of the squares. Place a heaping spoonful of the onion and apple filling and top with some grated cheese. Repeat with a second stack of four filo sheets and fill the second mini muffin tin.
- Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven. Let cool slightly and then lift the fillo nests onto a serving platter. Serve at once.
THANK YOU FOR READING, FOLLOWING ALONG AND SUBSCRIBING!
If you are not already following my blog, please subscribe to Marilena’s Kitchen to have every new post delivered straight to your e-mail box!
I love hearing from you, please leave me a comment below!
how much ahead can I make the cups and how do I keep them crisp?
You can assemble the cups, top them with the shredded cheese, cover them lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours, until you are ready to bake them later in the day. You could also bake them an hour ahead of the party and then reheat them gently just before serving. I hope this helps Anna!
They look very enticing, Marilena! Regarding the philo dough, which alternative available in the Greek market (hope you still remember these…) you recommend I should use the very thin (kroustas) or the thicker more traditional one usually used for pies?
(BTW I posted a similar message last weekend in Greek but it seems that it didn’t come through…)
Μαριαννα μου, μπορεις να χρησιμοποιησεις οποιο φυλλο θελεις…. Μονο, αν βαλεις το χοντρο βαλε ενα λιγοτερο φυλλο. Να προσεξεις να καραμελωσεις καλα το κρεμμυδακι και να βουτυρωσεις *επαρκως* το φυλλο, οπως θα εκανε η μαμα σου!
Φιλακια ?
Πολυ παραξενο που δεν ηρθε το ελληνικο το μηνυμα – συνηθως ερχονται σε οτι γλωσσα και αν ειναι γραμμενα!