Equipment
Ingredients
Filling Base
- 400 g butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
- 300 g mixed wild mushrooms, finely chopped
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
- 30 ml olive oil
Spices and Binders
- 3 g ground cumin
- 2 g smoked paprika
- 2 g fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped
- 30 g panko breadcrumbs
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Pastry
- 150 g filo pastry, thawed
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat oven to 200C (400F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the diced butternut squash with 15ml of olive oil, half the salt, and half the black pepper. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet and roast until tender and slightly caramelized. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
While the squash roasts, heat the remaining 15ml of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion and minced garlic until soft and translucent.
Increase heat to medium-high and add the finely chopped mushrooms, cumin, smoked paprika, thyme, remaining salt, and pepper. Cook stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and the pan is completely dry.
Add the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the roasted squash. Stir in the panko breadcrumbs. Let the filling cool completely to room temperature.
Place one sheet of filo pastry on a clean, dry work surface and lightly brush it with melted butter. Top with another sheet and brush again. Repeat until all sheets are stacked.
Spoon the cooled filling in an even log along the long edge of the pastry, leaving a 3cm border at the sides. Fold the sides inward over the filling, then roll the pastry up tightly into a strudel.
Carefully transfer the strudel seam-side down to a baking sheet lined with fresh parchment paper. Brush the top generously with the remaining melted butter and lightly score the top layers with a sharp knife into portions.
Remove the strudel from the oven and allow it to rest on the baking sheet before slicing and serving.
Chef's Notes
- Clarified butter yields an even crispier pastry than standard melted butter due to the complete absence of water and milk solids.
- For a deeper, more robust flavor profile, replace 50g of the fresh mushrooms with 15g of dried porcini mushrooms that have been rehydrated in hot water and finely chopped.
- The breadcrumbs act as an insurance policy. They absorb any residual moisture released by the squash and mushrooms during the final bake, preserving the structural integrity of your pastry.
- Scoring the pastry before baking not only makes it easier to slice without shattering the crust later, but it also creates vents for internal steam to escape.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Pastry will lose crispness in the refrigerator.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze unbaked for best results. Bake directly from frozen, adding 10-15 minutes to baking time.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 15 minutes to restore crispness. Do not microwave.
