Skip to content
Snack & Appetizers

Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio

Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio are a crisp, creamy appetizer for fall and the Christmas holidays, and easy to make.
Recipe Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Preparation 15 minutes
  • Cooking 45 minutes
  • Servings for 12 people

If you are looking for an original, tasty idea to surprise your guests at a fall dinner or an elegant aperitivo, Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio are just what you need. These baked savory cups hold all the goodness of seasonal flavors in a perfect balance of textures: crisp phyllo wraps around a soft, rich filling, where the sweetness of the pumpkin is enhanced by the bold taste of speck, a smoked cured ham, and the creaminess of Taleggio cheese. Simple to make but very striking, they are the ideal answer if you want to serve versatile pumpkin appetizers, perfect both for holidays and for your most refined fall finger food.

Thanks to crisp, light phyllo dough, this recipe brings together a few wholesome ingredients to create an aperitivo snack with a savory heart, also ideal as a tasty baked appetizer for gatherings with family or friends. The pairing of pumpkin, speck and Taleggio offers unique contrasts: every bite will win you over with a flavor that is intense but balanced, making these phyllo cups the right choice for any get-together. If you love trying new ideas with phyllo, recipe after recipe, we also recommend the Savory Pumpkin and Speck Strudel for a rustic, comforting alternative, or the Greek Spinach Rolls and the Zucchini Puff Pastry Pinwheels if you are looking for quick phyllo recipes and fresh ideas for buffet snacks.

Don’t miss the chance to serve this creative appetizer, perfect at any time of year but especially suited, as a pumpkin, speck and Taleggio recipe, to fall tables, the holidays or dinners with friends. Now all that’s left is to follow the step-by-step instructions for your Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio and bring to the table a symphony of flavors to share.

Ingredients for 12 people

Copy Ingredients List
Open in App

Method

  1. To make the Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio, start by cutting the pumpkin into thick slices, taking care to remove the seeds but not the skin.
    Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio, step 1: pumpkin cut into thick slices with the seeds removed
  2. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, add a pinch of salt, season with a sprinkle of pepper and cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Bake in an oven preheated to 200 °C (400 °F) for about 25-30 minutes.
    Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio, step 2: pumpkin slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  3. After this time, take the pumpkin out of the oven and let it cool slightly. Meanwhile, pour a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a large nonstick skillet, add both the whole rosemary sprig and the sage and let them infuse.
  4. Take the pumpkin, remove the skin and cut it into fairly small cubes. Add them to the skillet, add the diced speck as well and sauté for a few minutes.
    Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio, step 4: diced pumpkin and speck in a skillet
  5. Season with salt, add a sprinkle of pepper and then turn off the heat. Cover with a lid so the ingredients stay warm.
  6. Oil the work surface, lay a sheet of phyllo dough on it, carefully oil the whole surface and lay another sheet of phyllo on top. Oil it again and continue the same way until you have stacked six sheets of phyllo dough, making sure to oil the top layer as well.
    Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio, step 6: oiled sheets of phyllo dough stacked on the work surface
  7. Cut the stacked sheet into 4 pieces and place them in previously oiled 8 cm (3 inch) muffin molds, taking care to shape the dough into a cup.
    Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio, step 7: phyllo pieces shaped into cups in a muffin pan
  8. Bake in an oven preheated to 200 °C (400 °F) for about 5 minutes, or until the phyllo is nicely golden. When the cups are ready, take them out of the oven and remove them from the muffin pan right away, letting them cool only once they are out of the molds.
    Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio, step 8: golden baked phyllo cups
  9. While the cups are still warm, fill them with the pumpkin and speck mixture. Crumble the Taleggio on top so the cheese melts with the heat of the other ingredients, and serve the Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

For vegetarian Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin and Cheese, simply leave out the speck and increase the amount of Taleggio.

Tips

For this recipe we chose Delica squash because it has firm flesh and a bold flavor, but if you can’t find it you can use any other variety of pumpkin. If you are short on time, you can make both the phyllo cups and the pumpkin and speck filling ahead. When your guests arrive, simply fill the cups and put everything in the oven for about 5 minutes.

Storage

Phyllo Cups with Pumpkin, Speck and Taleggio must be eaten as soon as they are made.

Comments