Strudel di ricotta e n’duja (ricotta and n’duja strudel)

Instructions

1. Place the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the butter, water and half the beaten egg (reserving the other half for brushing on top if needed). Gently bring the mixture together to form a dough, adding an extra 1–2 tablespoons of water if it seems too dry. Knead for about 10 minutes or until smooth and soft, then wrap in plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
3. For the filling, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, for 6–8 minutes or until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. Combine the 'nduja, ricotta, pecorino, egg, parsley and zucchini in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
5. When the pastry has finished resting, roll it out on a lightly floured work surface into a rough rectangle about 2 mm–3 mm thick. The pastry should be almost see-through. Place the pastry on a large, floured kitchen towel, the longest side facing you.
6. Spoon the filling along the bottom third of the pastry. Dot it with a few knobs of butter, then use the kitchen towel to help you roll the strudel into a log, folding in the sides as you go. Lift onto the prepared tray and form it into the shape of a horseshoe or leave it as a log. Brush the top of the pastry with the remaining beaten egg.
7. Bake for 40–45 minutes or until golden and crisp. Let it cool for 20–30 minutes before cutting into it to prevent the filling from splattering out.