Not all strudels have to be sweet. In fact, some of the best I’ve had have been savory. With cheese, leafy greens like spinach, and other countless additions, a savory strudel is the perfect appetizer or afternoon snack. I like to make a pair on Friday night for us to enjoy throughout the weekend. We love taking it on long walks to snack on or even to eat in the car while we run errands and tackle our ever-growing to-do list. This recipe is a creation of my imagination, a concoction of ingredients I threw together one weekend in an effort to make a quick breakfast for us with a cup of thick Kefir, the closest we could get to drinkable yogurt-like back home.
Spinach and feta cheese is one of my favorite flavor combinations. My husband isn’t the biggest fan of spinach I must admit, but every now and then he too finds a recipe with it that he enjoys. He loves this savory štrudla for breakfast, slicing off thick slices to enjoy with his coffee.
This recipe makes a large pair, with plenty of filling in the middle for you to enjoy. Feel free to use the dough recipe as a base and fill with whatever you’d like. You can go the traditional Balkan route and use smoked meats, deli meats and cheeses, or even meatless fillings like ajvar and cheese. The possibilities are truly endless here…my husband has already requested a meat version, preferably with smoked meat and cheese. I myself am quite curious how that will turn out. As always, I’ll report back.
To store leftovers, it’s best to leave the uneaten part unsliced. So in this case, it’s best to slice as you eat, avoiding slicing too much ahead of time. Place the uneaten portion in a plastic bag or wrap very well in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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Slana Štrudla sa Spanaćem/Savory Spinach Strudel
Course: AppetizersCuisine: Balkan6
servings1
hour35
minutesA savory strudel filled with the familiar flavors of home.
Ingredients
- Dough
1 cup (100 ml) warm water
1 tablespoon dry active yeast / 1 kesica
1 tablespoon (21 g) sugar
1 cup (100 ml) Kefir, sour cream, or Greek yogurt
1/4 cup (60 ml) oil
2 eggs
6-7 cups (750 – 870 g) flour, or more as needed
- Filling
1 egg
2 cups (312 g) frozen spinach, thawed, or 1.5 bunch fresh
2-3 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
- Additionally
1 egg, beaten
Sesame seeds, optional
Directions
- Pour the warm water into a mug or small bowl and add in the sugar and dry yeast. Stir to dissolve the yeast and cover. Place in a warm place to activate.
- To a large mixing bowl add the flour and salt, and stir to combine.
- Once the yeast has been proofed, pour it into the bowl with the flour, then add in the remaining dough ingredients. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon and then with your hands. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes to ensure the dough is smooth and no longer sticking. Add flour little by little to prevent the dough from becoming very firm.
- Brush a very small amount of oil on top of the dough and then cover it with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Allow it to rise in a warm place for 20-30 minutes until double in size.
- While the dough rises, make the filling.
- Combine the filling ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- At this time, preheat oven to 350 F/175 C and grease an adequately sized baking pan lightly with oil. Set aside.
- Once the dough has risen, place it on a lightly dusted work surface and knead very briefly, just a few turns, to release the air bubbles that have formed. Next, divide the dough into 2 equal pieces.
- Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll it out into a large rectangle. Next, place half of the filling on the end closest to use and spread across evenly.
- Begin to roll the dough away from you into a log and then once rolled, transfer to the baking pan. Repeat with the other piece of dough and remaining filling.
- Once both strudels are in the baking pan, cover lightly with a kitchen towel and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, brush each roll generously with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake the strudels for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. If the strudels start to darken to much, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking for the full time.
Enjoy warm with yogurt or on it’s own.
