Tex-Mex Baklava

Looking for something a little different for a week night supper, I created a dish I call Tex-Mex Baklava, my attempt at fusion cuisine. Crispy filo pastry, often used in mediterranean dishes, is delicately brushed with Bertolli Classico Olive Oil and deliciously sandwiches spicy chicken, creamy cheese and beans that are popular ingredients in Tex-Mex cuisine. This meal quickly became a family favorite. Here's the recipe in case you'd like to try it.
Ingredients

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons Bertolli Classico Olive Oil, divided

2/3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

½ yellow onion, sliced

½ red pepper, sliced

½ teaspoon minced garlic


1 chipotle pepper in Adobo sauce, chopped

4 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto

15 oz can black beans, drained

1 ¼ cup grated Manchego cheese, divided

½ teaspoon ground cumin

12 Filo pastry sheets, 13” x 17”

 Instructions

 Pre-heat oven to 350F.

 In a medium saucepan heat 2 tablespoons Bertolli Classico Olive Oil. Cut chicken breast into thin strips and add to oil. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until strips are cooked through. Add sliced onions and red peppers to pan and cook for a further 4 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic, chipotle pepper and pesto and mix well. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix beans with cumin and 1 cup Manchego cheese. Set aside until ready to assemble dish.

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 ½ ‘‘ x 6 ‘‘ baking dish. Cut pastry sheets in half. Lay one half sheet inside dish. Pastry should cover bottom and sides of dish. Using a pastry brush dab Bertolli Classico Olive Oil evenly and lightly over pastry sheet. Cover with remaining half sheet. Repeat layering and dabbing process with 3 more full sheets (you will now have a stack of 8 half sheets in baking dish). Spoon bean mixture evenly over final layer. Top with a half sheet of pastry and repeat the layering and dabbing procedure, using up 4 more sheets. Spoon chicken mixture on top of top pastry sheet. Press down gently then top with a half sheet of pastry. Repeat layering process until final 4 pastry sheets have been used up. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of pastry and cook in oven for approx. 25 minutes or until pastry is a rich golden color.  Serve with sour cream and avocado.

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