Viva!’s Deluxe Chestnut, Port and Thyme Strudel

Vegan

A delicious Christmas roast - also suitable for any chilly-weather Sunday dinner!

Serves:

Time:

60 mins

Ingredients:

1 packet puff pastry, defrosted
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
450g/1lb chopped nuts
1 packet vacuum-packed pre-cooked chestnuts, chopped
1 tin of chestnut puree
60g/2oz breadcrumbs
2-3 tsp fresh thyme, chopped, or 1/2 tsp dried
4 tbsp/60ml port
1 tbsp soya milk
Salt and black pepper

Sprout mixture
10 Brussels sprouts
1 tbsp Pure margarine or other dairy-free spread
Ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Pre heat oven to 180°C/350° F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Lightly fry the onions, garlic and celery until soft. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and stir.

3. Steam the sprouts until just tender then mash with margarine and pepper.

4. Line a baking tray with foil. Oil it then mould half the filling into a rectangle. Using a spoon, make an indentation down the centre and spoon in the sprout mixture, pressing down. Layer the rest of the filling on top and smooth off with a palette knife into a rectangle. Bake for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, flour the work surface and rolling pin and roll thinly into a rectangle, three times the width of the filling. Using two fish slices, carefully move the filling on to the pastry. Cut neatly round it, removing excess pastry in whole pieces.

6. Use this excess pastry to cut into thin strips. Layer half of the strips diagonally and neatly across the strudel - see the picture above. Place the other half of the strips in the other direction, creating a lattice effect. Brush with soya milk.

7. Use any excess pieces of pastry to decorate the strudel with holly leaf shapes and berries or anything else you fancy - and also brush these with a little soya milk.

8. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden.