Italian Vegetable Strudel

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Golden, flaky puff pastry wrapped around a savory filling of summer vegetables and two cheeses makes this Italian Vegetable Strudel a showstopping dish that's surprisingly easy to prepare. It can be assembled ahead of time, making it just as well-suited for a casual family meal as it is for entertaining guests.

Prep Time45

Cook Time1 15

Chilling Time1

Total Time3

Course: Vegetarian / Vegan Entrees

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

1 small red bell pepper halved, seeded and membranes removed
1 small yellow squash (6-7 ounces), sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 small zucchini (6-7 ounces), sliced 1/4-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot thinly sliced into rings
2 cloves garlic minced
1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed but kept cold (1/2 a 17.3-ounce package)
1/3 cup basil pesto
1 log (4-ounces) goat cheese softened to room temperature
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese or Provolone or Fontina
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning divided
1 large egg beaten
1 teaspoon water

Instructions

ROAST THE RED BELL PEPPER: Preheat the broiler. Place the red bell pepper halves on an aluminum-foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Place under the broiler and roast until blackened, approximately 10 minutes. Fold the aluminum foil over the roasted pepper and let it steam for 10 minutes. Then, peel off the blackened skin and cut each half into 3 long strips.
CHAR THE ZUCCHINI AND YELLOW SQUASH: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dry fry the zucchini and yellow squash in batches, turning once after 1-2 minutes. Cook until somewhat tender but still crisp. Adjust the heat as necessary so the skillet doesn't smoke. (You might need to go lower and slower at times.) Transfer to a plate when each batch is charred and season with salt and black pepper.
COOK THE SHALLOT: Heat the olive oil in the nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened, being careful not to brown it. Add the garlic, cook for 5-10 seconds, then remove from the heat. Tip the skillet to let any excess oil drain off so the shallot and garlic can cool.
BEGIN ASSEMBLY: Unfold the puff pastry onto a piece of parchment paper large enough to fit on a rimmed baking sheet. Using a little all-purpose flour on the rolling pin if needed, roll it out to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Transfer the pastry on the parchment paper to a baking sheet.
Spread the basil pesto over the entire pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch to 1-inch border.
Mentally divide the pastry lengthwise into three sections. On the right 1/3 of the pastry, drop the goat cheese in pieces. (It will look overloaded, but you'll take some out later.
Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on the center 1/3 of the pastry.
Spread the shallot-garlic mixture over the mozzarella.
Arrange the vegetables over the center portion only as follows:
-- 1/2 the zucchini, 1/2 the yellow squash, and all of the red bell pepper.
--Sprinkle the vegetables and goat cheese with 1/2 of the Italian seasoning.
--Remove some of the goat cheese from the right section and place it in the center of the red bell pepper.
--Top with the remaining zucchini and yellow squash. Sprinkle with the remaining Italian seasoning.
Beat the egg with the water. Using a pastry brush, coat the edges of the puff pastry with the egg mixture.
Press the goat cheese down onto the pesto. Carefully and quickly, using the parchment paper to assist, fold the right panel (the one with the goat cheese) over the vegetables in the center panel. (It should cover at least half of the vegetables.)
Using the parchment paper to assist, flip the left panel with just the pesto over the middle. Press the edge onto the strudel to form a tight seal. Then, carefully flip the strudel so the seam is on the bottom, tightly seal the top and bottom, and fold them under as best you can, ensuring a tight seal with the beaten egg. (This helps keep the strudel tightly sealed and gives it a smooth, attractive appearance.)
Decoratively cut three shallow slits in the top to let steam escape.
Keep the strudel on the parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Just before baking, brush with beaten egg.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS:

Freshly roasted red bell pepper has better flavor than jarred roasted red bell pepper, but you can certainly use the jarred variety if you prefer. Be sure you blot it dry before using.
You can use Provolone or Fontina in place of Mozzarella.
If you're not a goat cheese fan, there really is no good substitute for it in this recipe; anything like ricotta, mascarpone, or cream cheese will be too runny. If you absolutely don't want to use goat cheese, use crumbled feta for the closest texture, although the flavor will be saltier and less creamy.
Eggplant, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, or artichokes would also work. Just be sure to cook off any excess moisture first.

TIPS:

Thaw the puff pastry properly. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. If it's too cold, it may crack; if it becomes too warm and sticky, simply refrigerate it until it's cold again.
The vegetables should be fully cooled before assembling the strudel.
Keep about a 1-inch border around the filling so the pastry seals securely.
Brush the edges with beaten egg or water, then pinch the seam closed to keep the filling from escaping during baking.
Cut three shallow slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Avoid cutting too deeply.
Refrigerate the assembled strudel for 15-20 minutes. Cold puff pastry bakes up higher with crisp, flaky layers.
A light coating of beaten egg gives the pastry a beautifully glossy, golden finish.
Assemble and bake the strudel on parchment to prevent sticking and make rolling, transferring, and cleanup much easier.
Don't remove the strudel when it's merely light golden. A rich golden-brown color ensures the pastry is crisp, flaky, and fully baked throughout.

MAKE AHEAD:

Assemble the strudel up to 24 hours in advance, but leave the egg wash off.
Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
When ready to bake, unwrap, brush with the egg wash, and place it on parchment paper. It will be very cold from the refrigerator, so you may need to add a few minutes of baking time.

FREEZER INFORMATION:

If you absolutely have to freeze it, freeze it unbaked. It won't be ideal because the puff pastry is going from frozen to thawed and back to frozen.
Freezing ruptures the vegetables' cell walls, so they release much more water when thawed. That excess moisture can make the filling watery and prevent the pastry from staying crisp.
If you do freeze it, bake it directly from frozen, adding additional baking time.

Nutrition