Easy Strudel with Butternut Squash and Sausage
 
Prep time
Cook time
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A very satisfying appetizer with sweet butternut squash, salty sausage and Asiago cheese, all wrapped into crispy filo pastry.
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer, light lunch
Serves: 2 strudels
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and chopped into small cubes
  • 2 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
  • 8 oz. sweet Italian sausage, without the casing, crumbled
  • 2 med. shallots (or 1 red onion), diced
  • 1 TBSP. fresh sage, minced (about 8 leaves)
  • 3-4 oz. Asiago cheese, cut into small cubes
  • 1 lb. filo pastry, at room temperature
  • (I used Fillo Factory, organic filo)
  • --- extra virgin olive oil for brushing on the filo
  • --- Sesame seeds, for topping (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  2. Cut the butternut squash into small cubes (about ¼”). Toss the cubed squash in a small bowl with the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, and some freshly ground pepper to coat.
  3. Spread the squash over a large, ungreased baking sheet and roast for about 25 minutes, or, until the edges are slightly caramelized.
  4. While the squash is roasting, place the loose sausage in a heavy skillet on the stove over medium heat (no need to add oil to the skillet as the sausage should render some amount of fat while cooking. If your sausage is on the lean side, however, you will need to add some olive oil to keep it from sticking to the skillet.). Pan fry until lightly browned and cooked through, stirring often. Add the minced shallots and the fresh sage and cook for a few more minutes until the shallots soften and are caramelized.
  5. Remove the butternut squash from the oven and let it cool slightly.
  6. Gently add the cooked sausage to the squash. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Gently blend in the cubed cheese. Set aside.
  7. Reduce the oven heat to 375°F.
  8. Place one sheet of filo on your work surface and brush it with some olive oil. Top it with a second filo sheet, brush with some more olive oil, and repeat the process with a third, a fourth and a fifth sheet of filo. Spoon half of the filling along one long side of the filo, about one inch from the edge. Fold the short ends over. Then, starting at the long side closest to the filling, roll up the filo tightly. Place the rolled filo, seam-side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush it with some more olive oil. Using a long sharp knife, score the top of the strudel through the filo, making ten to twelve evenly spaced cuts. Repeat with a second set of five filo sheets and the other half of the filling. Sprinkle the filo with some sesame seeds and place it on the middle rack in the oven.
  9. Bake the strudel until lightly brown, about 25-30 minutes.
  10. Let the strudel cool slightly. Using a serrated knife cut the strudel at the score marks and serve.
Notes
You can wrap the second strudel and freeze for another time. When the time comes to bake it, there is no need to defrost. You will need to add a couple more minutes to your cooking time.
Recipe by Marilena's Kitchen at https://marilenaskitchen.com/strudel-with-butternut-squash-and-sausage/