Bird`s Nests with Cheese

----------------------------------FILLING---------------------------------- 2 Eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 c Cheese, parmesan, grated

2 tb Cheese, ricotta

2 ts Mint, fresh, chopped OR

1/2 ts Mint, dried

1 pn Pepper, black, ground

-----------------------------PASTRY AND GARNISH----------------------------- 8 Pastry, phyllo, sheets

1/2 c Butter, clarified **

3/4 c Cheese, Kasseri, crumbled OR

3/4 c Cheese, feta, crumbled

8 Olives, calamata (garnish)

** See "Clarified Butter" recipe. Filling: ======== In mixing bowl, combine eggs, Parmesan, ricotta, mint and pepper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut phyllo pastry sheets in half crosswise and cover with waxed paper and a lightly dampened kitchen towel. Place 2 half sheets of phyllo, one on top of the other, horizontally on a work surface, trim off and discard a 1 inch strip from 1 short edge of sheets. Pull top sheet toward you so that it overlaps bottom sheet by about 1 1/2 inches. Dot exposed surfaces with clarified butter. Place a 1/2 inch diameter dowel or no. 11 knitting needle about 1 1/2 inches from long edge farthest from you. Fold edge over dowel.

Spread about 1 teaspoon of filling along edge of folded flap. Fold dowel over filling; then carefully roll up phyllo toward you, leaving 1 1/2 inch strip at bottom edge. Holding edges of the pastry at ends of dowel, gently press them toward center, forming pleats as you would on a curtain rod. (Do not worry if some filling oozes out.) Firmly holding ends of pastry to maintain pleats, carefully pull out dowel. Bring rolled edges of pastry around, forming a circle; the unrolled border will form bottom of each bird`s nest. Transfer bird`s nest to ungreased baking sheet. Brush all exposed surfaces of pastry generously with clarified butter. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of Kasseri in center of each nest. Return to oven until cheese is bubbly. 3 to 4 minutes. Place an olive in center of each nest. Serve hot. Source: New York`s Master Chefs, Bon Appetit Magazine : Written by Richard Sax, Photographs by Nancy McFarland : The Knapp Press, Los Angeles, 1985 Chef: Andree Abramoff, Andree`s Mediterranean Restaurant, New York