Goat Cheese & Honey Cigars
Moroccan cigars can be filled with a variety of fillings, including spiced meats, almond paste, kefta, and fillings normally used in bastila. This cigar recipe has a tang of goat cheese, silky scrambled eggs, and savory herbs that’s sweetened with honey to create a crispy balance of sweet and savory.
While warqa is traditionally the pastry dough that’s used to make Moroccan cigars, briwats, or bastila, it’s a time-consuming process and difficult to master — similar to making Greek phyllo or Tunisian brik dough. Store-bought frozen phyllo dough is a great alternative. Just remember when working with phyllo dough, it’s important to keep the sheets covered with a damp cloth so they don’t dry out and crack as you roll them.
Goat Cheese & Honey Cigars
makes about 24 cigars
Pro tip! These freeze well once they’re par-baked or par-fried — so you can always be ready for an impromptu glass of mint tea with snacks when someone drops in.
shopping list —
2 tbsp honey
5 tbsp warm clarified butter, divided
5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
8 oz soft goat cheese
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 tbsp sliced chives
1 tsp picked thyme
salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg yolk, beaten
phyllo dough, thawed from frozen
equipment —
pastry brush
sheet tray
medium mixing bowl
steps —
Combine the honey, 2 tbsp of butter, and the lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add the goat cheese, black pepper, chives, thyme, and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth.
Soft scramble the eggs with small curds in a buttered nonstick pan. Immediately add them to the cheese mixture. Stir until well combined. Taste to correct seasoning. Allow to cool before rolling.
Work with one phyllo sheet at a time and keep the remaining sheets covered with a damp cloth so they don’t dry out. Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough. Brush with oil or melted butter. Lay a second sheet of phyllo over top of the first. Cut the layered phyllo into in half the short way, then each half thirds, the long way to get 6 pieces.
Place a heaping spoonful of the filling in an even line along the bottom of each phyllo section, leaving a 1/4” border along the sides. Roll up once, and tuck in the sides, and then keep rolling up to create a cigar — similar to an egg roll. Repeat until all the filling is gone.
For baking the phyllo: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly brush a sheet tray with olive oil, then line the cigars on the tray without letting them touch. Brush the tops with a beaten egg yolk. Bake for about 10 minutes until crisp and golden. Turn each one over and bake for 5 minutes longer. Serve warm.
For frying the cigars: For maximum crispness, double fry the cigars — once at a lower temperature and again at a higher temperature. Preheat neutral oil to 250ºF. Fry until the pastries are pale golden on each side, about 30 seconds. Allow to drain on a rack over a sheet tray. Right before serving, fry again at 375ºF until the cigars are crisp and golden.
Drizzle with honey before serving.