Phyllo cups with potatoes and salami crumbs

Name: Phyllo cups with potatoes and salami crumbs
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Phyllo dough 9.5 oz; Butter 4 ¼ tbsp; Potatoes 0.7 lb; Fresh liquid cream 0.85 cup; Salami paste 2.8 oz; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese to grate 1.8 oz; Blond beer aromatic 1.7 oz; Thyme 2 sprigs; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Nutmeg to taste

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 40 min
Makes: 8 pieces
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Phyllo cups with potato and salami crumbs are a really good treat, often seen at Northern Italian gatherings. Perfect for when you want something unique for an antipasto. Really, you can't go wrong. These phyllo cups have a special charm—light, crispy pastry cradles a smooth potato purée. It's rich yet not overwhelming. So so comforting. Creamy potatoes blended with a touch of cream, fresh nutmeg, and a generous amount of Parmesan create a tender bite.

What really sets these apart? The topping. Salami recipes from the north usually highlight bold, savory flavors. Here, the salami is pan-fried until crunchy, then deglazed with a splash of beer—super tasty. And you know what? The combination of crunchy crumbs and moist potato cream really distinguishes these from the typical party snacks you might find.

In Northern Italy, these are popular potato appetizers at gatherings because they’re easy, classy, and perfect for finger food. The phyllo shells are baked blind in small molds. They get that golden, crunchy shell that stays firm, even after being filled. For sure. For those inviting vegetarians, there's a simple alternative: swap the salami for goat cheese, drizzle with honey, and add a sprinkle of rosemary—this nods to Italian antipasto traditions and keeps everyone happy.

These phyllo cups can be made with store-bought pastry and a few ingredients from the fridge. Pretty simple. But they feel special because of how the textures play together. Whether you choose the classic salami crumbs or the vegetarian version, these snacks make a delicate, golden impression. Really really special. The flavors come alive with simple, quality ingredients. They’re the kind of food that disappears quickly, especially when served alongside other easy appetizers or a refreshing drink—makes them a go-to for anyone who enjoys crunchy, flavorful party snacks. And here's the thing: this dish perfectly encapsulates the Italian love for combining straightforward cooking techniques with quality ingredients to create something truly memorable.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for 8 cups: Phyllo dough 9.5 oz (270 g); Butter 4 ¼ tbsp (60 g)

for the filling: Potatoes 0.7 lb (300 g); Fresh liquid cream 0.85 cup (200 ml); Salami paste 2.8 oz (80 g); Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.8 oz (50 g) - to grate; Blond beer 1.7 oz (50 ml) - aromatic; Thyme 2 sprigs; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Nutmeg to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Phyllo cups with potatoes and salami crumbs

To prepare the phyllo cups with potatoes and salami crumbs, start by shaping the cups: unroll the phyllo dough and divide it into 8 squares of about 4-5 inches per side, first cutting 4 vertical strips and then dividing them with a horizontal cut 1. Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave, and brush the aluminum molds with a diameter of 3.5 inches 2, then line them with one sheet at a time of phyllo dough, pressing it well to adhere to the mold and form a cup 3.

Always brush with melted butter between each layer of phyllo dough 4; to speed up the operation, you can take two sheets at a time because they are very thin. Once all the cups are created 5, trim the excess dough with scissors or a small knife 6.

Place the phyllo cups in a baking tray and fill them with dry beans, without the need for parchment paper, to proceed with blind baking (for more details, see our Cooking School: how to do blind baking). Bake the cups in a preheated static oven at 392°F for 15 minutes (if fan-assisted, 356°F for 10 minutes); then take them out of the oven, remove the beans (8-9), and continue baking for another 5 minutes to also brown the inside.

Meanwhile, cook a large potato (or two small ones) weighing about 10.5 oz in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes 10 or boil it in plenty of salted water until it is very tender. Drain it, let it cool, and peel the potato 11, then mash it with a ricer 12.

Now move on to preparing the potato cream: transfer the potato puree 13 to a large saucepan and dilute it with the cream 14. Salt and pepper 15,

add the grated Parmesan cheese 16 and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon until you have a very soft cream. Season with nutmeg 17 and give it one last stir to mix the mixture well 18.

Now cook the salami paste in a pan with a little oil 19; break up the salami paste with a wooden spoon, deglaze with beer 20, and cook over high heat for about 10 minutes until the crumbs are golden 21. If desired, you can season the salami paste with a little pepper.

Now assemble your cups: fill each cup with about 2 oz of potato cream 22 and about 0.35 oz of salami crumbs, to be placed on the surface 23. Garnish with a few fresh thyme leaves and the phyllo cups with potatoes and salami crumbs are ready 24!

Storage

Store the phyllo cups with potatoes and salami crumbs in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for a maximum of one day; freezing is not recommended.
You can prepare the baskets and the potato cream the day before and assemble the cups the next day, just sautéing the salami paste.

Tip

Remember that phyllo dough is very delicate and dries out easily: we recommend working it quickly; otherwise, you won't be able to shape it.
Instead of phyllo dough, you can also use puff pastry.
Instead of salami paste, you can use diced pancetta or speck sautéed in a pan to make them crispy.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.