I was recently looking for ideas for something I could take to a potluck where the food would have to sit out for several hours without refrigeration or access to electricity. And, since this would rule out a lot of options, I wanted to make sure I didn’t bring bread or chips like so many other people might bring.

These little rolls fit the bill beautifully. They’re baked, dry enough so that moisture isn’t a problem, and taste good at room temperature. I filled some of them with pesto and the others with a combination of parmesan and white cheddar cheeses. You could probably swap in another sauce, or make a sweet batch by using jam. Some inspiration has been gleaned from this recipe, though of course I’ve taken some liberties as always.

The key is to use the wet ingredients sparingly. These rolls are made with phyllo dough and cooking spray, and need to be rolled tightly so there’s not room for a thick layer. The pesto batch in this photo had just the thinnest veneer of pesto, just enough to get the flavor without drowning them in oil.

This could be something fun to make with kids, especially if you have finicky eaters. A friend of mine convinced her young sons to eat dolmades by calling them monkey toes, so you might be able to sell kids on the idea of eating fingers. For best results, you might want to spread out the pesto or roll out the sticks yourself if they are very young, but they could have fun laying out the phyllo dough and spraying the cooking spray.

Pesto Fingers
phyllo dough sheets
cooking spray (olive oil or butter)
pesto
parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Cheese Fingers
phyllo dough sheets
cooking spray (olive oil or butter)
white cheddar cheese
parmesan cheese
optional: other cheese variety
salt to taste

Thaw out the phyllo dough before starting.

Lay out a single phyllo dough sheet on a cutting board and spray it with cooking spray. Lay another sheet on top and spray it, too. Lay down a third sheet.

Apply a VERY THIN layer of pesto or finely grated cheese on top of the third sheet.

Lay another two sheets of dough on top, with cooking spray in between.

Add a very thin layer of finely grated parmesan (or another cheese if you already laid parmesan).

With the dough sheets facing you in landscape mode (wider than they are tall), cut vertically into 5 strips roughly 2-3 inches wide.

Carefully roll up each strip into a tight roll. If you struggle with this, maybe ask someone with experience rolling their own joints. They’ll have added motivation if you promise them they can have some of the munchies after they’ve baked.

Now that you have five long rolls, cut each roll into fourths. This will give you 20 finger rolls. If you like, sprinkle a little salt on top.

Preheat your oven to 350F and grease a baking sheet. Place the fingers on the sheet with the seams on the bottom, spacing a couple inches apart. If you’re making multiple batches and you have a larger sheet, you can fit them 7 or 8 by 4, or 28-32 per sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Let them cool a few minutes before serving. If you’re taking them to a potluck, let them cool completely before sealing them in a container so they won’t get soggy.