Spinach and Camembert Strudel

By akselden

Ingredients

• Filling:
• 6 sheets thawed phyllo pastry
• 1/3 cup (75 ml) butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped cooked spinach,
• (about half 10 oz.l300 g package frozen spinach)
• 2 tsp (10 ml) butter
• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) ricotta cheese
• 3 oz. (100 g) Camembert cheese, rind discarded, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup (50 ml) grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) pine nuts, toasted*
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt
• Pinch each black pepper and nutmeg

Preparation

Step 1

* To toast pine nuts, spread on baking sheet and bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 4 to 6 minutes or until fragrant and golden.

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 cheese, pine nuts, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. Layout sheets of plastic wrap on work surface, overlapping pieces if necessary to make an area larger than the sheets of phyllo. Lay one sheet of phyllo on plastic. Brush with melted butter. Lay another sheet of phyllo over first sheet: Brush again with butter. Repeat until you have stacked six sheets of buttered phyllo. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top buttered sheet.
3. About 2" (5 cm) from one long edge of pastry, press spinach mixture evenly onto pastry in 6"- (t s-cm-) wide strip, leaving 2" (5 cm) border of pastry at each short end.
4. Starting at long edge nearest filling, carefully begin to roll phyllo over filling. Roll up jelly-roll style, tucking in sides over lling as you roll. Roll up snugly, but not too tight, to allow for expansion. Brush outside of strudel with melted butter. Cut nine evenly spaced slits just through top layer of pastry to make steam vents. Wrap strudel in the plastic wrap. Carefully place, seam-side down, on baking sheet to freeze. After strudel is frozen solid, it can be stored without the baking sheet.
5. To bake from frozen; unwrap and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until Golden. (If cooking right after assembling, reduce baking time by 10 minutes). Let stand 15 minutes, then cut into 3/4" (2 cm) slices. Makes about 15 appetizer-sized slices.