Based on a traditional Russian recipe called "Koulibiac", this dish makes a perfect vegetarian main course or, for meat-eaters, a welcome accompaniment to cold leftover turkey or sliced ham.
ingredients
serves 8
7/8 cup long grain rice
2 tbsp butter
1 - 2 leeks, thinly sliced
5 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound Gruyere or Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound feta cheese, cubed
2 tbsp currants
1/2 cup chopped almonds or filberts, toasted
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
10 ounce packet frozen filo pastry, thawed
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
method
1. Cook the rice in boiling, salted water for 10 - 12 minutes, until tender but still with a little "bite". Drain, rinse under cold running water and set aside to drain again. Melt the butter and cook the leeks and mushrooms for 5 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside until the vegetables have cooled.
2. Add the well-drained rice, the cheeses, currants, toasted almonds or filberts, chopped fresh parsley and season to taste. (You may not need to add very much salt as the feta cheese is very salty.)
3. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) Unwrap the filo pastry. Cover it with a piece of clear film and a clean damp cloth while you work to stop it drying out. Lay a sheet of filo pastry on a large piece of greaseproof paper and brush it with oil. Lay a second sheet on top, overlapping the first by 1 inch.. Put another sheet with its long side running at right angles to the first two. Lay a fourth sheet in the same way, overlapping by 1 inch.. Continue in this way, alternating the layers of two sheets so that the join between the two sheets runs in the opposite direction for each layer.
4. Place the filling mixture along the centre of the pastry sheet and carefully shape it with your hands into a rectangle that measures approximately 4 x 12 inch.
5. Fold the layers of filo pastry over the filling and carefully roll it over, with the help of the greaseproof paper, so that the join ends up being hidden on the underside of the strudel.
6. Lift the strudel on to a greased baking tray and gently tuck the edges under, so that the filling does not escape during cooking. Brush with oil and bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until golden-brown and crisp. Allow the strudel to stand for 5 minutes before cutting into thick slices. Serve at once or freeze until needed.
The traditional Koulibiac dish has slices of hard-boiled egg as an ingredient in the filling - you could add it if you like.
