Recipe

January 26, 2009

Spinach And Camembert Strudel Recipe

Recipe:

Step 1: To make filling, squeeze out as much liquid as possible from spinach. In small skillet, heat butter over medium heat; cook onion for 3 minutes or until softened. In bowl, combine spinach, onion, ricotta, Camembert and Parmesan cheeses, pine nuts, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.

Step 2: Lay out sheets of plastic wrap on work surface, overlapping pieces if necessary to make an area larger than the sheet of phyllo. Lay one sheet of phyllo on plastic. Brush with melted butter. Lay another sheet of phyllo over. Brush again with butter. Repeat until you have stacked six sheets of buttered phyllo. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top buttered sheet.

Step 3: About 2″ from one long edge of pastry, press spinach mixture evenly down pastry in 6″-wide strip, leaving 2″ border of pastry at each short end.

Step 4: Starting at long edge nearest filling, carefully begin to roll phyllo over filling. Roll up strudel jelly-roll style, tucking in sides over filling as you roll. Roll up snugly but not too tight to allow for expansion. Brush outside of strudel with melted butter. Cut slits just through top layer of pastry to make 9 evenly spaced steam vents. Wrap strudel in the plastic wrap. Place carefully, seam side down, on baking sheet to freeze. After strudel is frozen solid, it can stored without the baking sheet.

Step 5: To bake from frozen, unwrap and place on parchment lined baking sheet; bake in preheated 375°F oven for about 35-40 minutes or until golden (if cooking right after assembling, reduce baking time by 10 minutes). Let rest 15 minutes before slicing into 3/4″ slices.

Makes about 15 appetizer-sized slices

Ingredients

6 sheets thawed phyllo pastry
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tbsp breadcrumbs

Filling
1/2 cup chopped cooked spinach, (about 1/2 of a 10 oz./300 g package frozen spinach)
2 tsp butter
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
3 oz. Camembert cheese, rind discarded, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted*
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch each black pepper and nutmeg

*To toast pine nuts, spread on baking sheet and toast in 350°F oven for 4-6 minutes or until fragrant and golden.

Directions

Yield:

Step 1: To make filling, squeeze out as much liquid as possible from spinach. In small skillet, heat butter over medium heat; cook onion for 3 minutes or until softened. In bowl, combine spinach, onion, ricotta, Camembert and Parmesan cheeses, pine nuts, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.

Step 2: Lay out sheets of plastic wrap on work surface, overlapping pieces if necessary to make an area larger than the sheet of phyllo. Lay one sheet of phyllo on plastic. Brush with melted butter. Lay another sheet of phyllo over. Brush again with butter. Repeat until you have stacked six sheets of buttered phyllo. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top buttered sheet.

Step 3: About 2″ from one long edge of pastry, press spinach mixture evenly down pastry in 6″-wide strip, leaving 2″ border of pastry at each short end.

Step 4: Starting at long edge nearest filling, carefully begin to roll phyllo over filling. Roll up strudel jelly-roll style, tucking in sides over filling as you roll. Roll up snugly but not too tight to allow for expansion. Brush outside of strudel with melted butter. Cut slits just through top layer of pastry to make 9 evenly spaced steam vents. Wrap strudel in the plastic wrap. Place carefully, seam side down, on baking sheet to freeze. After strudel is frozen solid, it can stored without the baking sheet.

Step 5: To bake from frozen, unwrap and place on parchment lined baking sheet; bake in preheated 375°F oven for about 35-40 minutes or until golden (if cooking right after assembling, reduce baking time by 10 minutes). Let rest 15 minutes before slicing into 3/4″ slices.

Makes about 15 appetizer-sized slices

Photographer:

istockphoto.com