Do You Have a Fear of Phyllo? Mushroom and Cheese Strudels for Shabbat

The versatile dough sheets known as phyllo have an unearned reputation for being finicky to use and I have been on a personal mission to teach others how to use them to create delicious and crispy appetizers, main dishes and desserts.

One of my favorite uses for this Middle Eastern and Greek staple is a savory strudel. The recipe for Mushroom and Cheese Strudels is adapted from my cookbook, “52 Shabbats: Friday Night Dinners Inspired by a Global Jewish Kitchen” (The Collective Book Studio) and is perfect for Shabbat or holiday meals.

Look for phyllo (sometimes spelled filo) sheets in your supermarket’s frozen food section and in Middle Eastern markets.

This recipe requires just 8 to 10 sheets, so if your phyllo comes with two sealed sleeves, defrost only one. Defrost according to the package instructions. Use at room temperature.

Here are some of the tips I share in my “fear of phyllo” workshops for Hadassah chapters.

• Don’t worry about small tears; the next layer will cover.
• If it’s a large hole, patch it with part of an extra sheet of phyllo.
• If two sheets are stuck together, just use it like it’s one.
• Always make sure the unused sheets are covered with a clean kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
• Extra sheets can be rewrapped and refrozen.
• Only lightly brush with oil. Do not saturate the layers but cover the phyllo sheet completely. Too little and your strudel won’t be flaky. Too much and it will be soggy or greasy.
• Substitute melted butter for oil if desired

 Mushroom and Cheese Strudels
Serves 4 to 6 as a main course, or 8 to 10 as an appetizer

2 Tbsps. plus 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
2 Tbsps. unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. za’atar OR ½ tsp. dried ground oregano and ½ tsp. dried ground thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. paprika, divided
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 lbs. mixed fresh mushrooms, chopped, such as button, cremini, oyster and shiitakes
10 (13-by-17-inch) sheets phyllo dough, at room temperature
1 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
6 oz. Brie or Camembert, cut into 1/2-inch chunks and chilled
2 1/2 cups total shredded Swiss and/or Gruyère cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped green onions or chopped parsley

In a 12-inch skillet, heat 2 Tbsps. olive oil and 2 Tbsps. butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in za’atar, salt, 1/4 tsp. paprika and black pepper.

Add mushrooms to the skillet in batches, sturdier ones (such as shitake) first. Sauté until they begin to soften, then add softer ones (such as oyster) until all the mushrooms are tender and liquid in pan is evaporated. Cool 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. (Can be made 2 days in advance. Reheat making sure liquid evaporates before using.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay phyllo sheets on dry work surface and cover with clean cloth or kitchen towel. (You’ll need 8 sheets for the recipe. Use extras for patching.) Have ready the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil (you probably won’t use it all) and a pastry brush.

Place 1 sheet of phyllo flat on dry work surface with a long side closest to you. Lightly brush the entire sheet with oil. Place another phyllo sheet directly on top of the first one and lightly brush with oil. Repeat with the third sheet. Top with a fourth sheet. Sprinkle half the breadcrumbs on top, leaving a 1-inch margin all around. Divide mushroom mixture into fourths.

Starting 1 inch from the long side closest to you, spread one-fourth of the mushrooms in 2-inch-wide horizontal strip, leaving 1-inch margins on both short ends. Evenly scatter half the chilled Brie over the mushrooms. Top with another one-fourth of mushrooms. Scatter 3/4 cup shredded cheese over the mushrooms.

Fold short sides of phyllo in 1 inch on either side over the filling. Starting at long side closest to you, roll the phyllo and filling, compressing as you go to create a compact roll. Using two spatulas, transfer to prepared baking sheet, seam side down, leaving room for second strudel. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling.

Lightly brush tops and sides of strudels with oil. With a sharp knife, cut the strudels a third of the way through into 6 to 8 slices. Bake for 35 minutes or until just golden. Scatter 1/2 cup shredded cheese on top of each strudel. Sprinkle each with 1/2 tsp. paprika.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until light brown and the cheese is melted. Cool at least 10 minutes before cutting. Slice strudels, following the premade cuts, garnish with the green onions and serve warm or at room temperature.

Faith Kramer is a member of the Hadassah Writers’ Circle, a dynamic and diverse writing group for leaders and members to express their thoughts and feelings about all the things Hadassah does to make the world a better place. It’s where they celebrate their personal Hadassah journeys and share their Jewish values, family traditions and interpretations of Jewish texts. Since 2019, the Hadassah Writers’ Circle has published nearly 500 columns in The Times of Israel Blogs and other Jewish media outlets. Interested? Please contact hwc@hadassah.org.