Using Leftover Phyllo Dough

I used to be scared of phyllo dough.  Until last weekend when a friend of mine made spanikopita for a party and I decided to try to make spanikopita myself.  I would have probably blogged that recipe, too, if it hadn't been for the fact that (a) I took no pictures and (b) I've decided since then I prefer the handy cute pastry triangles in lieu of the big casserole.  The wonderful thing about making savory pastries is that you can really throw in whatever leftovers you've got and make something pretty tasty.  Blue Cheese Butternut Squash Pastries are deceptively fancy and tasty.... just the thing for a party to make people think you spent hours and hours in the kitchen, when, in fact, it took about 15 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes in the oven.

So when I peaked into my fridge and saw half a tub of ricotta cheese, some leftover blue cheese, and some butternut squash, my first thought was a nice butternut squash ravioli... except made with phyllo dough!  I roasted the butternut squash, and then mixed some minced garlic in with everything else for the filling.  Take one sheet of the phyllo dough and ... drum roll please ... use a pressurized oil sprayer or spray olive oil instead of brushing butter on.  This lets you get the finest mist of something lovely and fatty to make the phyllo dough cook into flaky goodness.  I sprayed just the right half of the phyllo dough sheet, then folded it in half.  Put some filling in the bottom then "roll" it up into triangles, folding the bottom edge to the side.  Place seam side down on a baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown.