About This Recipe
This recipe for Ham Filo Roll is a great use for leftovers after Easter and Christmas when you have a lot of ham on hand. Crunchy layers of filo, or phyllo, dough are layered with butter, then filled with a savory mixture of ham, sour cream, rice, onion, peas, and cheese. It’s delicious and easy to make too.
You can, of course, make this recipe even when you don’t have leftover ham. It’s also a great recipe for Christmas brunch or Easter, especially when you aren’t feeding a crowd and don’t want a lot of leftover ham. Let’s face it, a big chunk of ham can be daunting.
This recipe uses frozen cooked rice. That is an excellent convenience product that is made of just rice and water. I use it a lot when I don’t want to cook rice or when it’s hot and I don’t want a pan of simmering water steaming up the kitchen. You just thaw it according to package instructions, then use it as you would cooked rice in any recipe.
You can change up the filling in this recipe according to your tastes. If you don’t want to use peas, use leftover cooked and chopped asparagus, or substitute any other cooked vegetable. If you don’t like thyme, use basil or marjoram or tarragon instead.
Serve this recipe with a fruit salad and some iced tea for a great dinner.
Tips for making the best Ham Filo Roll:
- Always thaw the thin delicate sheets of filo dough according to the package directions. Handle it carefully, and keep it covered with a damp cloth while you’re working with it so it doesn’t dry out and become brittle.
- Don’t skimp on the butter for the filo dough.
- Roll up the dough gently but firmly. You want to enclose the filling but don’t want to tear the pastry or the filling will leak out during baking.
Why this recipe works:
- The combination of crisp filo dough with the cheesy, creamy, filling is wonderful and classic.
Steps
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1
Done
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook onion and garlic in the olive oil until tender. Add rice, ham, sour cream, Havarti cheese, peas, and thyme and stir gently to mix. Set aside. |
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2
Done
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Place one filo sheet on a cookie sheet and brush with butter. Layer five more filo over the first sheet, brushing each with butter. |
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3
Done
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Spread half of the rice and ham mixture over one-third of the stacked filo on the 14" side, leaving a 1 inch border on three sides. Cover with half of the Parmesan cheese. |
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4
Done
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Begin to roll up the filo, starting with the long end. You'll only be able to roll the dough over one and a half times; that's okay. Using two spatulas, place on a RIMMED cookie sheet (the butter will melt and make a mess in your oven if you don't used a rimmed sheet). Brush with butter and cut a few slits in the filo roll. Repeat with remaining filo, most of the remaining butter, and filling to make two rolls. Brush each with the rest of the butter. |
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5
Done
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At this point you can cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 8 hours. Add another 8-13 minutes to the baking time if the rolls are baked directly from the refrigerator. |
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6
Done
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Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the rolls are browned and crisp. Let it stand for 10 minutes before cutting each roll into thirds for serving. The filling is hot! |
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7
Done
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Air fryer instructionsPrepare the rolls as directed but cut in half to make four 7-inch rolls. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. |
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8
Done
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Air fry , one or two at a time, depending on the size of your air fryer, for 12 to 17 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Repeat with remaining rolls. Serve. |
