Speck and Zucchini Savory Strudel

The savory strudel with speck and zucchini is a tasty dish that combines the tradition of Tyrolean cuisine with Italian flavors. Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 rectangular roll of puff pastry
• 150 g of sliced speck
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 mozzarella (about 125 g)
• 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg for brushing
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Wash the zucchini and slice them thinly. In a pan, heat a drizzle of oil and sauté the zucchini until they become soft. Let them cool down.
3. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, keeping the parchment paper underneath to facilitate moving.
4. Evenly distribute the speck over the puff pastry surface, leaving a margin of about 2 cm around the edges.
5. Add the cooled zucchini on top of the speck.
6. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and distribute it over the zucchini, then sprinkle with Parmesan.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Roll up the puff pastry starting from the long side, sealing the edges well. Also close the short sides, pressing gently with your fingers.
9. Transfer the strudel to the oven tray lined with parchment paper, with the seam side down.
10. Brush the top of the strudel with a beaten egg.
11. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, until the strudel is golden brown.
12. Take the strudel out of the oven and let it cool slightly before cutting into slices.

A tip to make this dish even more delicious might be to add a bit of finely chopped onion during the sautéing of the zucchini to enrich the flavor, or mix in some fresh herbs such as thyme or chopped basil for an aromatic touch.

Trivia

Although strudel is commonly associated with sweet fillings like apples and raisins, savory variations like this one with speck and zucchini are very common in the Alpine regions, where they are often served as an appetizer or a main course, accompanied by salads or fresh sauces.