Seafood Strudel

Our next dish using phyllo dough was seafood strudel. We first ground cleaned and deveined shrimp into a paste, then pulsed egg into the mixture. Heavy cream was then added to the food processor. The end result was a light whipped looking filling for the strudel.

Mise en place

Shrimp ready to grind

Shrimp in the food processor

Ready for the egg

After egg was pulsed in

Adding the cream

Filling ready for next step

Green onions were cut on the bias, cooked until soft in butter, and combined with beef Italian sausage, and canned crab meat.

Green onions, crab, and sausage

The mixture was cooled in the fridge and then folded into the shrimp paste along with the scallops, crayfish tails, and mustards. The mixture was placed in the fridge until the phyllo dough was ready.

We added melted butter and breadcrumbs to phyllo dough sheets, for 3 layers. The fourth layer only had butter on it. The filling mixture was placed lengthwise along the sheet and rolled.

Buttered phyllo dough

Seafood mixture added

Rolled up, ready for the oven

The dough was placed in a 400 F oven for 15 minutes. We checked the temperature with a thermometer to ensure the seafood was cooked. It was cooled for 5 minutes then sliced into 1/2" pieces on the bias.

Golden brown, ready to slice

Final plating

Prep: The biggest difficulty with prep was keeping the phyllo dough from breaking. We needed to handle the thin sheets quickly, carefully, and cover them as much as possible to prevent the dough from drying out.

Presentation: I chose a simple presentation with the slices placed in a fan pattern and parsley garnish below for color.

Taste: I liked the taste of the seafood filling overall, but I felt that the beef sausage tasted out of place with the rest of the ingredients. If I were to make this dish again I might use a lighter tasting sausage like chicken or turkey, or use a small amount ham for some smoky salty flavor instead. The phyllo dough browned up nicely in the oven and provided a delicate, crisp texture to contrast with the softer textures of the filling.

Overall: Despite the difficulties with handling the phyllo dough, this was an enjoyable dish to make and eat. I'd definitely make it again.