One of my mother’s go-to lunches for my brother and me growing up was tuna salad. To this day, I can’t recreate that tuna salad to taste exactly like hers. I have, however, come up with my own dressed-up version of this timeless favorite. These little tuna bites are simply adorable served in phyllo shells for a bite-size snack.
2 (5-ounce) cans tuna in water, drained
½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
½ cup finely chopped red or yellow bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
⅓ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
30 mini phyllo shells, thawed
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
In a medium bowl combine the tuna, peppers, and onions. In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
Add the mayonnaise mixture to the tuna mixture, and mix until all of the ingredients are coated with the dressing. Place a spoonful of the tuna salad in each phyllo shell, and sprinkle them with the freshly ground black pepper, if desired. The shells can be filled an hour in advance, but if you are traveling a long distance with these, it will be best to fill them at your destination. Keep them cool until you are ready to serve.
MAKES 12 TO 14 SERVINGS.