8 strips lean bacon
1 medium-size onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons Italian-style bread crumbs, divided
2 sheets phyllo
1 tablespoon butter, melted
whole fresh chives
Fry the bacon in a large skillet and remove from the pan. When the bacon is cool, crumble and set aside. In the bacon drippings, saute the onion and garlic until soft. Add the mushrooms and saute until golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the bacon bits, chopped chives, pepper to taste, and 3 tablespoons of the bread crumbs.
Lay one sheet of phyllo on a cutting surface and brush lightly with the melted butter. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon bread crumbs. Place another sheet of phyllo on top. With a sharp knife, cut into 12 equal-size squares. Divide the mushroom-bacon filling among the squares. Gather the corners of each square into a peak and twist gently.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drop long strands of chives into boiling water for 5 seconds. Tie one strand around the neck of each phyllo “purse,” tying the ends into a bow. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden.