Roasted Vegetable Strudel with Mascarpone Cheese

I have made this delicious vegetable strudel many times especially when a client asks for a vegetarian option at a dinner party.  I know I could do a simple pasta or risotto for a vegetarian option for a sit down dinner, but that can get boring and somewhat unimaginable.   I love creating menus and recipes for many different styles and diet’s that people have, sometimes that can be a challenge but so worth it; especially with the outcome of this recipe.

The presentation is so beautiful with this strudel with the flaky layers presenting the roasted vegetables and cheese; it truly is a treat for your eyes and your taste buds.  I have served this over my sun dried tomato vodka tomato sauce many times, if you would like to make that sauce as well as an option for serving with this dish, the posting for that recipe is here: https://recipeforaparty.com/1575

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1 yellow zucchini or summer squash, cut into half moons

1 green zucchini, cut into half moons

1 ½ cup of peeled, chopped butternut squash

¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 box Phyllo sheets, thawed overnight in the refrigerator

½ cup melted butter

1 cup Eggplant spread or tapenade (if you can’t find it, the strudel will be just as good without it)

1 8oz container Mascarpone cheese

½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus ¼ cup for topping

1 cup roasted yellow & red bell peppers from a jar, drained & chopped

1 13 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained & chopped

Basil for garnish

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• Combine the chopped onion, garlic, zucchini, butternut squash, pepper, salt and Italian seasoning, toss well and lay out onto a baking sheet and place in oven for 20 minutes or until golden, take out, set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
• While vegetables are cooling, take out phyllo sheets from package, unroll and flatten out, separate into two equal stacks of sheets, there should be 7 to 8 sheets in each stacks and cut the two stacks  in half vertically, you will have 4 equal stack.
• Brush the top of each stack with melted butter, leaving 1 1/2 inch border all the way around the edge of the phyllo sheets spread the eggplant spread evenly over each one, on top of that dot the top of each one evenly with the Mascarpone cheese and sprinkle ½ cup of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese evenly over that.
• Divide the bell peppers and the artichoke hearts on top of the cheese evenly, followed by the cooled vegetables.
• Place horizontally and fold over the border of the phyllo at the top and bottom, then gently roll the entire strudel up like a burrito, gently but firmly as to not tear the phyllo, if you do get a spot that is torn, bake that one torn side down on the baking sheet. After rolling all 4 strudels, place them on two parchment lined sheet pans and brush butter evenly over the top and sides of the strudels and top them all with a sprinkling of the ¼ cup of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden, let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Cut each one in half or into thirds and garnish with chopped basil; serve with a chunky tomato sauce or my sun dried tomato vodka sauce if you would like, link to that recipe is above. Serves 4 to 8