Spinach & Goat-Cheese Phyllo Rolls with Balsamic Marinated Tomatoes

This beautiful dish is easy and fast, however the colorful presentation makes it look like you spent hours in the kitchen. The contrast of the crunchy phyllo and the creamy spinach filling are a perfect complement to the tart tomatoes and bright parsley. You can serve this as an appetizer as I did here, or as a main course with a nice greek salad or rosemary-scented potatoes. You will need the following:

4-5 sheets of phyllo dough

3-4 cups loose packed fresh spinach leaves

1/2 cup fresh curly parsley more for garnish

2-3 oz of goat cheese

1 egg

2 cups grape tomatoes (halved)

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Marinate the tomato halves in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Place the spinach and parsley into a food processor, and then pulse until finely chopped. Add the egg and pulse a few more times until incorporated. Lay the phyllo dough flat onto an oiled baking sheet and spread the spinach mixture across the top third of the dough. Crumble the cheese evenly over the spinach. Loosely roll the dough into a log. With a sharp knife, slice the log into one-inch sections, and then place upright on the baking sheet. This process is nearly the same as making sushi. Brush the rolls with olive oil, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place rolls into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the dough is golden in color. Transfer spinach rolls to a plate, garnish with tomatoes and chopped parsley.