Have you ever experienced those late afternoons during which, all of a sudden, a terrible thought strikes your mind that makes you open your eyes wide while your jaw clasps and your throat dries up? A thought keeps drumming through your mind and you can do nothing but listen to it.
Once again, merciless and implacable like Frank Underwood in House of Cards, it’s back. We are talking about the decisive, horrific question:
What’s for dinner tonight?
Such a blood-curdling question that, to spectator’s at the cinema in the early 20th century, Nosferatu’s shadow must have been like watching a Walt Disney film in comparison.
Luckily all you need is a bit of imagination and the right amount of time to remedy the situation and serve a delicious dinner thanks to the savoury strudel we are about to describe. A healthy, tasty, inviting and nutritious recipe that satisfies your taste buds to perfection without being difficult to make.
This dinner recipe is also ideal for a picnic in the open air, an informal dinner with your friends, a late summer garden party, a birthday buffet, as an Easter or Xmas appetizer, a finger food to eat with cocktails and for any other occasion you may think it fit for. What else could you want from life?!
In other words, I can most certainly say that this savoury strudel is as eclectic as Leonardo da Vinci’s genius and as versatile as that little black dress of yours.
Objectively, I honestly believe that this humble savoury puff pastry strudel is the perfect ally for any convivial moment. Moreover, just leave out the pancetta for a vegetarian version of this savoury strudel that is ideal for your friends who prefer meatless recipes.
And, you know, it can be made in a great variety of ways: if you don’t like artichokes you can replace this vegetable with fresh spinach or potatoes, provola cheese can be replaced with scamorza cheese or a fresh stretched-curd cheese, the pancetta can be replaced with ham or speck…..in other words, this savoury strudel can be interpreted as you like! I can’t wait to find out which is your favourite version!
Savoury strudel with artichokes, provola cheese and pancetta the recipe
INGREDIENTS (for 6)
- 300 g of frozen artichoke hearts (fresh artichokes are obviously better if in season)
- one garlic clove and one sprig of parsley
- 250 g ricotta cheese
- 100 g mild provola cheese
- 3 tablespoon of grated Grana Padano cheese
- 1 egg
- 100 g of sliced rolled pancetta
- extra virgin olive oil, black pepper and salt as needed
- one roll of rectangular, store-bought puff pastry
- one egg for the egg wash
- sesame and poppy seeds as needed
METHOD
HOW TO MAKE SAVOURY STRUDEL WITH ARTICHOKES
- Start by cooking the artichokes. Add some extra virgin olive oil with a slightly crushed, unpeeled garlic clove to a non-stick pan and remove the garlic after a few minutes. Add the artichokes, salt and pepper, a lid and simmer, adding water only when necessary. Once ready, add some chopped parsley and leave to cool.
- Mix the ricotta together with the egg and the grated Grana Padano cheese in a bowl.
- Chop the artichokes up roughly with a knife and add them to the ricotta, egg and Grana Padano cream.
- Cut the provola cheese into small cubes and mix it with the ricotta cream and the artichokes.
- Spread the sheet of puff pasty out on a baking pan covered with parchment paper and cover the centre of it with the pancetta slices (this will be the base of your savoury strudel).
- Add the ricotta and artichoke filling on top of the layer of pancetta and even it out with the back of a spoon.
HOW TO SEAL YOUR SAVOURY STRUDEL
- Seal your savoury strudel as you would a sweet strudel by joining the loose ends at the centre. I made some decorative cuts on my strudel, you just use your imagination! The important thing is to seal the filling properly inside the pastry to prevent it from seeping out during the cooking process.
- Beat the egg, brush it over the surface of your strudel and then sprinkle it all over with the
- Bake at the lowest shelf position of a fan-assisted oven at 180°C for 25 minutes or until the puff pastry takes on a golden colour.
This savoury strudel with artichokes, pancetta and provola cheese is delicious served straight from the oven but it can also be enjoyed warm.
Enjoy!
Credits immagini: Sara Cartelli
