Here is something a little more festive than the traditional nut roast for those who are vegetarian or those who choose to forgo meat over the holiday celebrations. Serve warm with seasonal vegetables or cold with a crisp mixed salad.
Serves
4 people
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 200g chestnut mushrooms, wiped and roughly chopped
- 100g canned peeled chestnuts
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 sheets filo pastry
- 15g butter, melted
- 150g Red Leicester cheese, grated
- 300g jar red pimientos, drained and trimmed
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Method
- Preheat the oven if necessary to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Esse Dial Guide HOT. (Aim for the dial reading to be in the middle of HOT).
- Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic and mushrooms, mixing well. Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat and cook until the juices from the mushrooms have evaporated.
- Transfer to a food processor, add the chestnuts and seasoning to taste and blend until you have a chunky pâté type consistency.
- Lay a sheet of filo pastry on a clean surface, brush with little melted butter. Top with another sheet and repeat until you have a stack of 4 sheets. Spread the chestnut mixture over the top to
within 2.5cm of the edge. Top with the cheese and red pimiento. Starting from one end, roll up like a Swiss roll to enclose the filling and place on a baking tray. Brush with any remaining butter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. - Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve warm cut into slices.
Get Ahead!
The strudel can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead of cooking. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until required. Uncover and bake from chilled for 25-30 minutes until crisp and golden.
