GOAT CHEESE AND RED PEPPER PHYLLO TRIANGLES WITH OLIVE FRISéE SALAD

Goat Cheese and Red Pepper Phyllo Triangles with Olive Frisée Salad image

Yield Makes 4 or 5 light-lunch or first-course servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

For phyllo triangles
9 (17- by 12-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup rinsed and drained bottled red peppers (7-ounce jar), finely chopped and patted dry
5 ounces soft mild goat cheese (2/3 cup)
1/2 cup olive oil
For salad
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces frisée, torn into bite-size pieces (8 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped pitted Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives

Steps:

Make phyllo triangles:
Cover phyllo stack with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and then a damp clean kitchen towel. Arrange 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface with a long side nearest you (keep remaining sheets covered) and brush with some butter. Top with 2 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter.
Cut buttered phyllo stack crosswise into 5 (12- by 3 1/3-inch) strips.
Put 2 teaspoons red peppers and 2 teaspoons goat cheese near 1 corner of a strip and fold corner of phyllo over to enclose filling and form a triangle. Continue folding strip (like a flag), maintaining triangular shape. Put triangle, seam side down, on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Make 14 more triangles in same manner, using remaining phyllo and filling (you may have a little butter left over).
Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry triangles in 2 batches until golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain.
Make salad:
Whisk together vinegar, mustard, and salt in a large bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Add frisée and olives and toss with dressing, then season with pepper. Mound salad on plates and arrange phyllo triangles alongside.