Mushroom & Brie Puff Pastry Strudel

This light and crispy puff pastry strudel is packed with savory mushrooms and creamy Brie cheese. A fantastic appetizer that is surprisingly easy to make.

There are days when I feel like the wicked witch from Snow White, pawning off a poisoned apple to the fairest maiden in the land. When I mention portobello, crimini, and shiitake mushrooms, my family hears "hemlock, arsenic, and cyanide". Pushing fungi at dinnertime is seen as treachery, punishable by an unending tickle session on the family room floor.

Even though my mushroom advances are shunned, I forge on with determination. When my husband goes out of town for business, I head straight to the grocery store to stock up on these unlikely treasures. In a mad frenzy of slicing and sautéing, I concoct a way to incorporate mushrooms into every dish that crosses my mind - bacon polenta, crostini with prosciutto and Gorgonzola, cornbread panzanella salad, Asian-inspired quinoa dish, or my newest obsession, puff pastry strudel. I draw the line at mushroom-flavored ice cream. Mushroom donuts, however, sound oddly enticing. It's a sickness.

For this savory strudel, I sauté portobello, crimini, and shiitake mushrooms with a little olive oil, shallots, and fresh thyme, then spoon the mixture down the center of a sheet of puff pastry.

Nestled underneath the mushrooms are slices of creamy Brie cheese. Other soft cheeses, such as camembert or Saint Andre, are good substitutes.

I was feeling fancy, so spent a little extra time making the top of the strudel look pretty. However, "a little extra time" means about five minutes. Not a large investment for the pretty braided look achieved by this method.

Baked for about 30 minutes, the puff pastry becomes golden brown and the cheese gently oozes into the savory mushrooms. Slice the strudel into 2-inch sections for a lovely appetizer or light lunch.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add 1 large shallot, finely chopped, and saute until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add a little more olive oil and stir in thinly sliced, portabello, crimini, and shiitake mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are tender and just starting to turn brown. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in minced fresh thyme leaves.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll defrosted sheet of puff pastry to a 9- by 12-inch rectangle. Lay slices of Camembert cheese down the middle third of the puff pastry, leaving one third of puff pastry free on each side of the cheese.

Spoon the mushroom mixture evenly over the cheese.

Fold one-third of puff pastry over the mushrooms to cover it. Using a small, sharp knife, cut the remaining third of into ½-inch strips. Brush the pastry that is folded over with egg white. Fold one strip on either end to seal the strudel. Lay the remaining strips in decorative X pattern along the top of the strudel.

Brush with egg white and let rest in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Transfer the strudel to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until the puff pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut into 1 ½ to 2-inch slices. Serve.

Other recipes for mushroom lovers

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