Recipe: Beef & Porcini Strudel...

For Four.

Ingredients: 7 sheets Phyllo Pastry, each 12"x6"; 30g Butter, melted; half a cup of dried Porcini; 250g minced Beef; 1 small Onion, diced finely; Salt & Pepper; half a teaspoon of ground Nutmeg; 2 Eggs; generous teaspoon of Truffle Oil; 2 tablespoons Cream.

Method.

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C.

2. Soak the dried mushrooms 20 minutes or so in a cup of very hot water.

3. Lay four of the Phyllo sheets out on a tea towel, to form a large rectangle; the sides of the sheets should be slightly overlapping. Brush the Phyllo with melted Butter. Lay the remaining sheets of Phyllo on top, facing in the opposite direction, so that the seams of the first 4 sheets are covered by the top layer of Phyllo. Brush this in turn with melted Butter.

4. Mix together the minced Beef, chopped Onion, Eggs and seasoning.

5. Drain the mushrooms, retaining the soaking liquid. Rinse any grit from the mushrooms, then chop and add to the Beef mixture, along with the Truffle Oil.

6. Spread the mixture over the Phyllo rectangle, leaving two inches uncovered all round the edges. Fold all of the edges in over the filling, and carefully roll up to make a 'sausage'. Place this, seam-side down, on a greased baking tray and brush with the remaining melted Butter.

7. Bake the Strudel 45 minutes in the pre-heated oven. Meanwhile, strain the mushroom soaking liquid through kitchen paper and then reduce it in a small saucepan until about 5-6 tablespoons remain; stir in the Cream and check for seasoning.

8. Once the Strudel is baked, remove from the oven, and slice into 1 cm thick slices. Serve two slices per person with a spoonful of the cream sauce.

NB. Delicious served cold on the following day!