RICOTTA SAUSAGE TRIANGLES

Stuffed with ricotta cheese, sausage and seasonings, these pockets are hard to put down! They freeze well, so go ahead and make a big batch for future parties.

—Virginia Anthony, Jacksonville, FL

Prep: 1 hour Bake: 15 min./batch Makes: 12 dozen

• 1 carton (15 oz.) part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 jar (8 oz.) roasted sweet red peppers, drained and chopped
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbsp. chopped ripe olives
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 96 sheets phyllo dough (14x9-in. size)
• Olive oil-flavored cooking spray
• Warm marinara sauce, optional

1. In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir into the cheese mixture.

2. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface with a short end facing you; spray with cooking spray. Top with a second sheet of phyllo; spray again with cooking spray. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.) Cut layered sheets into three 14x3-in. strips.

3. Place a rounded teaspoonful of filling on lower corner of each strip. Fold dough over filling, forming a triangle. Fold triangle up, then fold triangle over, forming another triangle. Continue folding, like a flag, until you come to the end of the strip.

4. Spritz end of dough with spray and press onto triangle to seal. Turn triangle and spritz top with spray. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling.

5. Place triangles on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Serve warm and, if desired, with marinara sauce.

Freeze option: Freeze unbaked triangles in freezer containers, separating layers with waxed paper. To use, bake the triangles as directed, increasing time as necessary until golden and heated through.

1 appetizer: 42 cal., 2g fat (0 sat. fat), 4mg chol., 64mg sod., 5g carb. (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 2g pro.