Sausage and Mushroom Phyllo Twists

In a large skillet cook the sausage meat over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up any larger pieces, until it is cooked through and browned.

Transfer meat to a fine sieve, and drain. In the skillet, cook the onion and the garlic in the unsalted butter over moderately low heat until the onion is softened. Add the mushrooms, and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring until the liquid the mushrooms give off evaporates. Add the cumin, allspice and the mint and cook the mixture, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the sausage meat, the parsley, cream cheese, and salt and pepper to taste, and combine the mixture well. Working quickly to keep the phyllo from drying out, put 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface, brush lightly with some of the clarified butter, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the bread crumbs. Lay another sheet of phyllo on top of the first sheet and brush lightly with some of the remaining clarified butter.

Cut the sheets into thirds lengthwise and into quarters crosswise to form 12 squares. Put a rounded teaspoon of the filling in each square, gather the corners of the phyllo over the filling, and twist the phyllo gently to seal it. Continue to make hors d’oeuvres in the same manner with the remaining phyllo, butter, crumbs and filling. Bake the sausage and mushroom phyllo twists in jelly-roll pans in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes,or until phyllo is golden brown.