I had purchased green beans(or haricot vert) on a whim and was trying to figure out a way to use the last few up in a fun and creative way. That was literally how this recipe came about. When I think about haricot vert, I distinctly enjoy their snappy texture, when blanched and shocked properly, and their mild sweet flavor. They also kind of remind me of asparagus in a lot of ways, and I remember a while ago, I made this asparagus and ricotta phyllo pie with my friend Ann back in 2019. We made that pie because we wanted to make phyllo from scratch, and needed something to pair it with, being the asparagus and ricotta, for a savory veggie pie situation. Side note, it’s crazy that 2019 was 6 years ago. It’s also just as crazy that the entire world shut down 5 years ago. Time really flies when you think about it. That tangent to say that this recipe was a reimagined version of that 5 1/2-year old asparagus pie, but using haricot vert and feta cheese instead of asparagus and ricotta. The idea here was that the creamy-saltiness of the feta would play off of the crunchy-sweetness of the green beans, while also giving a tangy, savory flavor. But buttery phyllo, crunchy beans, and whipped garlicky feta just did not feel like enough. I needed another distinctly savory component to really ensure that this dish tasted like an appetizer or a side dish instead of some odd green bean and feta semi-dessert. And so I used chermoula. Chermoula is a Moroccan herb sauce, similar to a chimichurri, that uses herbs, chilies, and citrus for that bright, herbaceous punch. I used the chermoula both as a sauce for the dish, and to toss the haricot vert in, just to give them a zestier note and finish! And just because I wanted some texture and smokiness, I toasted off some almonds with paprika and sumac, just to really give that nutty crunch to play off of the phyllo, and add more pleasant textures throughout the entire pita!

Makes 4 servings:
For the phyllo dough:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup water
a pinch of salt
2oz olive oil
a pinch of dried oregano
4 cloves garlic

In a bowl, mix everything but the olive oil, oregano, and garlic cloves to form a dough. Split the dough into four pieces and roll each out to a 6-inch disk. Brush three of the disks with the olive oil and oregano, then stack all of the disks together, with the un-brushed one on top. Roll the dough out as thinly as possible, trying to get the dough into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle. Cut the pita into 12 3-inch by 3-inch rectangles and place between two lined sheet trays. Place the garlic cloves there as well. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes. Then take the top tray off and bake for another 5 minutes, still at 375 degrees F. Reserve the garlic cloves for the whipped feta.

For the roasted garlic whipped feta:
4 roasted garlic cloves
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp olive oil
7oz feta cheese

Mince the roasted garlic cloves and stir with the salt and olive oil. Fold the minced garlic with the feta cheese until a smooth, creamy, and spreadable mixture folds. Transfer to a piping bag.

For the toasted almonds:
1/4 cup almond flakes
1 tsp olive oil
a pinch of salt
a pinch of sumac
a pinch of oregano
a pinch of paprika

Toss the ingredients together in a bowl. Spread the almonds onto a lined sheet tray and bake at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes.

For the chermoula:
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
a pinch of salt
10 mint leaves
.5oz fresh cilantro
.5oz fresh parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chili flakes
a pinch of ground coriander

In a bowl, mix together the lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt, and allow that to sit together for 5 minutes. In a pot of boiling water, blanch the mint, cilantro, and parsley for 5 seconds, then shock the herbs in cold water to keep them vibrant green in color. Transfer the herbs into a blender with the garlicky lemon juice, olive oil, chili flakes, and coriander. Puree everything until a smooth, pesto-like consistency is achieved. Keep the sauce covered and refrigerated until time to use.

For the haricot vert:
3oz haricot vert, stringy ends trimmed
salt
2 tbsp chermoula

Blanch the haricot vert in heavily salted boiling water for 1 minute. Shock the haricot vert in cold water and once fully cooled, toss with 2 tbsp of the chermoula.

To plate:
Start by layering up 1/3 of the phyllo crisps with the whipped feta, the haricot vert, and toasted almonds. Place down a small circle of the chermoula, and then place the phyllo rectangle on top of that. Then place on top of that another phyllo rectangle with the feta, haricot vert, almonds. Then place an unadorned phyllo crisp on top. Pipe a small amount of the feta on top and garnish the top with thinly biased cut haricot vert and more almonds.