Sausage Triangles

These phyllo triangles are the kind of appetizer that vanishes from a party table before you can refill the platter. Browned pork sausage mixed with diced mushrooms and shredded Monterey Jack cheese gets wrapped in buttered strips of phyllo dough, folded flag-style into tight triangular packages, and baked until shattering-crispy and golden.

The filling is straightforward: sausage and mushrooms cooked together until well browned, drained on paper towels to remove excess grease, then mixed with cheese. That draining step is critical. Greasy filling soaks through phyllo and turns it soggy instead of letting it crisp up in the oven.

The flag-fold technique (corner over corner at right angles) creates multiple layers of buttered phyllo around each bite of filling. Every fold adds another layer of crispy, flaky pastry, which is why these have such an incredible crunch when you bite through them.

Kitchen Tips

• Keep unused phyllo strips covered with a slightly damp paper towel while you work. Phyllo dries out in minutes and becomes brittle and impossible to fold
• Brush each strip lightly with melted butter before filling. This is what makes the layers separate and crisp during baking
• Drain the sausage mixture well on paper towels. Any excess grease will make the phyllo soggy
• These refrigerate beautifully before baking. Assemble ahead, cover with foil, and bake when guests arrive

Variations

• Use Italian sausage and swap Monterey Jack for mozzarella for an Italian-style filling
• Add a tablespoon of finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the filling
• Use ground turkey sausage for a lighter version