Fillings for Savory Strudel

Savory strudel gets less attention than its apple-cinnamon sibling, but the Central European tradition of wrapping phyllo around savory fillings predates the sweet version by centuries. These two fillings, a deeply onion-caramelized mashed potato and a light egg-and-scallion ricotta, are both classics of Austrian, Hungarian, and Jewish kitchens.

The potato filling lives and dies by the onion sauté. Cooking three whole onions in oil until brown and crispy (as the directions specify) takes a full 20 to 25 minutes over medium-low heat. Don’t rush this step; caramelized onions are what separates this filling from boring mashed potatoes.

Cooking the potatoes in their skins is a small trick with a big payoff. The skins prevent the potatoes from absorbing cooking water, which means the final mash is drier and starchier rather than waterlogged. Peel only after they’ve cooled enough to handle.

The ricotta filling is the easier of the two. Crumble the cheese with a fork instead of stirring smooth. Little curds throughout add texture to the finished strudel instead of becoming baby food.

One egg binds the ricotta just enough. The filling sets during baking but stays creamy rather than turning dense and quiche-like.

Both fillings are ready to roll up inside buttered phyllo sheets and bake until golden. Serve with sour cream and pickled cabbage or cucumbers for a proper old-world meal.

Chef Tips

• Use a starchy potato variety like Russet or Idaho for the potato filling. Waxy potatoes make a gluey mash that tastes wrong in strudel.
• Season the potato filling aggressively with salt and black pepper. Under-seasoned potato disappears against the delicate phyllo and tastes bland.
• Let both fillings cool completely before rolling up in phyllo. Warm filling melts the butter on the pastry and causes cracking and leaks.
• For the ricotta filling, drain the ricotta in a sieve for 30 minutes if it seems watery. Wet ricotta makes a soggy strudel.

Variations

• Add crumbled bacon or sautéed mushrooms to the potato filling for a heartier version.
• Stir chopped fresh dill, grated Parmesan, or sun-dried tomatoes into the ricotta filling for Italian-leaning flavor.
• Combine half and half with the two fillings for a layered cheese-and-potato strudel.