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 —

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. Drizzle with honey before serving.

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