This is one of my favorite holiday recipes, which may look daunting, but it really isn’t. The filling can be prepared one day, and rolled in the phyllo the next. Whatever your thoughts are about phyllo, I hope you will give this a try. If it breaks, no worries! Just hide, patch, and butter it and keep on going. No one will ever know!
It works well to freeze the rolls to be baked later, straight from the freezer. Just add 10 or so minutes to the baking time. This makes a wonderful addition to those special occasion meals.
2 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cubed in ½ inch dice
2 medium zucchini, diced small
2 medium carrots, grated
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced and diced
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed in ½ inch dice
½ c. dried cranberries
2 T. fresh sage, chopped fine or 2 t. dried
2 T. fresh oregano, chopped fine or 2 t. dried
2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped fine or 2 t. dried
2 T. fresh thyme, chopped fine or 2 t. dried
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 t. salt
1/3 c. olive oil
1 c. pecans, coarsely chopped
1 12.5 oz. can Worthington® Fri Chik® Original, squeezed dry and cubed
1 T. butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped fine
8 oz. gruyere or ementeller cheese, shredded
½ c. butter, melted (could also use olive oil for a healthier fat!)
1 16 oz. package phyllo dough, thawed
Mix squash, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, eggplant, cranberries, herbs, garlic, salt and olive oil in a large bowl. Spray 2 baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray. Spread mixture on baking sheets. Roast in preheated 375-degree oven for 20 minutes, stirring once during baking. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a medium sized fry pan, toast pecans. Remove to the large bowl. In same fry pan sauté Fri Chik® till crunchy. Remove to the large bowl. In the same fry pan melt butter. Saute onion until soft. Remove to the large bowl. Place roasted vegetables into the large bowl. Add cheese and mix well.
Using one-third of phyllo sheets (approx. 8), begin by laying out 1 sheet; spread it thoroughly with melted butter. Add second sheet, third, etc., buttering between each layer.
Place one-third of filling in log-type roll on long side of sheets, leaving one inch uncovered along edges. Press filling together to make a compact roll. Tuck in sides and roll jellyroll fashion, pressing phyllo firmly around filling. Place "seam" on the underside. Butter top and sides of completed roll. Repeat with remaining ingredients, making 2 more rolls. Place rolls on baking sheet(s) sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for approximately 45 minutes until golden.
prepared one day, and rolled in the phyllo the next. Whatever your thoughts are about phyllo, I hope you will give this a try. If it breaks, no worries! Just hide, patch, and butter it and keep on going. No one will ever know!