Roasted Vegetable and Feta Strudel

Serves: 4
Approx cost: €5
Approx calories: 650
Approx preparation and cooking time: 210 mins

I just love Filo pastry – I didn’t even think it was possible to find here but a friend picked me up a pack after seeing it at a local supermarket so I thought I’d whip up a nice vegetable strudel! There’s even enough pastry left for some other little treats. This strudel has a great look and taste, not too greasy, and the touch of feta on the side really gives it a great edge every now and again! Give it a try and tell me what you think.

Ingredients

– 8-10 sheets Filo Pastry
– 1 head of Broccoli
– 1 small Aubergine
– 1 Courgette
– 1 Green Pepper
– 1 Leek
– 100g Feta Cheese
– 2 + 1 tbsps Olive Oil
– 25g Butter
– Salt

You will also need
– A Pastry Brush

Instructions

1. Start by washing the vegetables and trimming the ends from the courgette, green pepper and aubergine. Chop everything into small cubes and place into a large pan. Add ~1tbsp of Olive Oil, cover the pan and shake vigorously for a few moments. Add another 1tbps of Olive Oil and some salt and shake again. This way you ensure a good even coverage of oil, and just the right amount of oil too – not too much or too little.
   
   
   
   




2. Transfer to a large roasting pan, spread out and place in the oven at around 170 degrees Celsius. Take out the pan and stir/shake occasionally. Meanwhile, trim the ends from the leek, cut lengthways to the centre and run under cold water to clean away any dirt, before chopping into slices, about 0.5cm thick. Add a tablespoon of Olive Oil to a large frying pan and when hot, add the leek and fry, stirring all the time, for about 5 minutes or until soft.
   
   
   
   




3. Set aside the leek. After about an hour in the oven, the roasting vegetables should have halved in size, and the top of the broccoli should be starting to crisp up. Mix the fried leek with the roasting vegetables and transfer the vegetables mix to a bowl and set aside. Turn the oven up to about 180 degrees Celsius and then add the butter to a small bowl and melt in a microwave for a few seconds (or melt in a pan on the stove).
   
   
   
   




4. Open up the pastry. Carefully unfold it and lay one sheet on a flat, clean, dry surface. Brush a little butter over it using a Pastry Brush. Carefully lay another sheet on top, and brush with butter again, continuing this way (pastry, butter, pastry, butter) until you have 5 sheets laid on top of each other on the surface in front of you.
   
   
   
   




5. Carefully transfer the vegetables into the centre of the pastry sheets and form into a long sausage shape. leaving about 5cm free at each end and about 8-10 free on each side. Crumble the Feta Cheese over the top of the vegetables.
   
   
   
   




6. Roll up as tightly as you can, being careful not to tear the pastry. Tuck the ends in and brush over with melted butter. Place another sheet on top and tuck in on the underside, brush again with butter, and then add another sheet. Continue doing this until you are satisfied that any loose ends are well secured with pastry, being sure not to add too much more pasty. Grease a large baking tray and carefully transfer the strudel to the greased tray. Place in the hot oven and bake until crispy and golden brown on top, which takes about 25 minutes.
   
   
   
   




7. Remove from the oven and cut into slices – you can either make 4 large slices, or several smaller ones – and enjoy!

Nom nom