Ukrainian Vegetable Strudel.

For  convenience  use frozen and thawed Phyllo dough or make your own strudel dough.

1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
3 cups chopped cabbage
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
3 cups sliced mushrooms (12 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
4 eggs

1/2 pound filo dough
1/4 pound melted butter

In a large skillet or saucepan, saute the onions in the butter and oil until they are translucent.  Add the carrots and saute for 5 minutes.  Add the cabbage to the pan and saute covered for another 5 minutes.  Season with the salt, dill, and caraway seeds and cook for 5 minutes more.  Add the mushrooms and black pepper and saute for a final 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese with the cottage cheese, grated cheddar, and eggs.  Drain the sauteed vegetables and stir them into the cheese mixture.

Preheat the oven to 375º F.

Assemble the strudel. NOTE: See Basic Rectangle: Bake for about 40 minutes, until golden brown.  Allow the strudel to sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

Strudels may be assembled in many different shapes.  After using phyllo a few times and becoming familiar with how it works, experiment with different strudel assemblies.  Try rolled strudels or individual tart like strudels.

Strudel Assembly: Find a working surface large enough to accommodate the unfolded stack of phyllo leaves and the baking sheet, side by side.  Melt a quarter-pound of butter.  Using a pastry brush or a small paint brush, butter the baking sheets.  Unwrap and unfold the phyllo leaves.  Each leaf of phyllo is so light and delicate that it dries out quickly and then crumbles easily, so working quickly with phyllo from a flat pile and out of drafts will prevent wasted leaves.

Basic Rectangle:  At a corner of the stack of phyllo, count out 6 to 8 leaves and carefully, in one smooth movement, lift them up and lay them flat on the greased baking sheet.  If the baking sheet is smaller than the phyllo, let the edges of the phyllo drape over the sides.  Spread the filling over the middle of the leaves, leaving 3 inch edges all around. Brush the edges with butter.  For the top, lay down two leaves at a time, buttering the top leaf each time.  After 4 or 5 pairs, fold the corners of all the phyllo leaves up over the filling, butter, then neatly fold each side up over the filling and butter.  Lay down two more pairs of leaves, buttering the top leaf of each pair.  Then tuck the new edges under the strudel, corners first, then sides. Butter top and sprinkle the top with poppy or sesame seeds and bake as the recipe directs, 45 minutes to an hour, depending upon the thickness of the filling.

Triangles:  To make individual serving triangles, brush 2 sheets of phyllo with butter, place one on top of the other, then fold them in half lengthwise. Butter the top surface and then place 1/2 to 2/3 cup of filling slightly up from the bottom and toward the right edge of the phyllo rectangle.  Fold the left corner of the phyllo up and over the filling so that the bottom edge is now aligned with the right side.  Next fold the strip straight up and then to the left so that the filled triangles is aligned with the left edge of the phyllo.  Continue folding in this manner until the top edge of the phyllo is reached.  Brush the finished triangle with butter, sprinkle with appropriate seeds, and set aside on a baking sheet while you assemble more.  Bake at 375º F. for 20 to 25 minutes.

Bite Sized Appetizers: Apply this same technique to making bite sized appetizers by buttering and cutting each sheet of phyllo into 4 to 6 narrow strips.  Place 1 Tablespoon of filling at the bottom of each strip and proceed as above. Bake for only 10 to 15 minutes.