Spinach Strudel with Dilled Balsamic Syrup

This dish features a richly flavorful filling encased in flaky phyllo pastry and drizzled with a tangy-sweet dilled syrup. When working with phyllo, keep the delicate sheets covered to prevent them from drying. Place a sheet of wax paper on the counter, unroll the dough and cover it with a second sheet of wax paper. Work quickly with one leaf at a time, while keeping remaining dough covered with a damp cloth. Using water spritzer, spray cloth lightly—do not drench cloth or dough will become gummy, especially around edges. Always make phyllo filling before removing phyllo dough from package. If filling has been cooked, it should be cooled before mounding onto prepared layers to prevent sogginess.

ingredient list

SERVES 8

• 2 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1 1/2-oz. pkg. dried portobello mushrooms
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large shallots, about 1/2 cup minced
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
• 6 oz. white mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 Tbs. tamari soy sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• 12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
• 1 Tbs. dried dillweed for garnish

Dilled Balsamic Syrup

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbs. dark brown molasses sugar
• 1 tsp. dillweed
• 2 Tbs. nutritional yeast

Directions

1. Thaw spinach, drain in wire mesh colander and press out excess moisture. Set aside.
2. Combine dried mushrooms and boiling water in small saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat about 5 minutes. Set aside 10 minutes.
3. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add crushed red pepper, garlic, shallots and chopped sage, and sauté 3 minutes. Drain and chop reconstituted mushrooms, and add to skillet. Add fresh mushrooms. Cook 5 minutes, reduce heat to low, and add spinach, dill, sherry, yeast, tamari and lime juice. Cook mixture 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
4. Preheat oven to 375F.
5. Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface, spray with oil, cover with second sheet, and repeat until 6 sheets have been stacked and oiled. Set aside remaining phyllo, covered with damp towel. Spoon half filling on long side of phyllo, 1 inch from edge. Fold in short ends, and, starting at long filled side, roll phyllo tightly. Place seam side down on baking sheet. Make second strudel by repeating procedure with remaining sheets of phyllo, and place on pan with several inches separating strudels. Using sharp knife, score tops just through phyllo, making evenly spaced cuts. Spray lightly with oil, and sprinkle with dried dillweed.
6. Bake strudel until golden brown, about 50 minutes. Use serrated knife to cut each strudel into 8 equal slices.

 Dilled Balsamic Syrup

1. Combine vinegar, sugar and dillweed in saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes.
2. Stir in nutritional yeast, and continue to cook and stir 5 minutes, or until mixture has a syruplike consistency. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool. Serve at room temperature.